In the Shadow of the Snake
by Opera Dreamer
Summary: The world has become dark and riddled with decay. Those that fought are gone; hope has seeped away. With the death of their hero, a snake would take his place and rule behind stone walls. The only glimmering of hope left for this world plots for revenge hidden in the shadow of the snake.
1. Steps

A/N: There were some mistakes that I made in my former first chapter, so I've made some changes and edited the chapter to my liking. A very big thank you to Dragoon Dave; I honestly don't know what I would do without you, you are my savior editor :)

So again, enjoy and please be so kind to review.

...

When had the world become so gray?

When had the color of life slipped away only to be replaced by a suffocating darkness that had consumed everybody? When had hope disappeared and succumbed to this terrible, everlasting midnight?

Oh yes, now she remembered.

It was the day that Harry Potter died.

Regan Westwood sat near the rear of a shuddering bus, the scenery passing in a dull blur. A small faded green suitcase sat beside her, trembling with each bump in the road. A young woman of only twenty five, Regan hardly considered herself anything special. She was of average height with a considerably scrawny body. Her eyes were green and too big for her face while her nose, oddly enough, was too small for her face. The only interesting thing about Regan was her hair, which was a deep violent red. It was long and straight, usually worn parted off to the side and down, but today was different. Today it rested comfortably over her shoulder in a secure braid because today Regan had to look professional.

Regan had been there, that day that Harry Potter's lifeless body had been brought back. She had been amongst the crowd, shifting nervously as the lifeless form was carelessly dropped in front of them. Regan would never forget the screams and the moans of sorrow that quickly followed the triumphant announcement of their hero's demise. She had been a fifth year, barely able to defend herself against the death eaters and the ogres that had stormed the castle all that night. She openly wept, fighting to block the mocking laughter that fell from Voldemort's lips. And then, just as suddenly as he had declared victory, he stumbled as an odd realization seemed to hit him. During the commotion, Neville Longbottom, wielding the Sword of Gryffindor, had cut Nagini in half, seemingly bringing Voldemort to his knees. He collapsed to the ground, his black robes gushing a pile of dust that was swept up in the wind. At first, many had believed that it had been Longbottom cutting Nagini that had destroyed Voldemort, but that would turn out to be completely untrue.

The moment that Voldemort had turned to dust, Draco Malfoy had stepped forward and taken the cracked elder wand. His father had stood behind him, pointing his own wand with dangerously slitted eyes. They shot down a person in the crowd, causing the mass of people to shudder from fear. It was then that they were all shackled together, forced to sit outside as the death eaters rallied inside to celebrate their victory. As they sat there, word slowly spread about the last effort to destroy Voldemort. Horocruxes with pieces of Voldemort's soul had been hidden away, keeping one piece for himself, and the trio that everybody had become so fond of had spent the past year trying to destroy them. Harry had been an accidental horocrux, a piece of Voldemort's soul disappearing when he had died. Then, people became puzzled. If he had split up his soul, even if all of the horocruxes had been destroyed, how was it possible for him to die so suddenly? Nobody had shot him down, at least not from their side, and the question seemed to matter little to the death eaters. While those around her tried to figure out what had really happened, Regan just sat there, her mind puzzled. Her parents had lied; good didn't always triumph over evil.

Regan was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when the bus driver announced their upcoming destination: Malfoy Manor. Regan pulled her suitcase into her lap, clutching it tightly.

The next morning, they were hauled away to the Ministry where they sat stuffed in prison cells for days without food or water. At first, it seemed that they were all condemned to wait down here until they died from dehydration or starvation, but this was not meant to be their fate. Of course, looking back, Regan quietly wished that they had let her die in that cold, damp room.

Regan stood on the smooth pavement, listening as the bus rumbled away down the road. She waited until she could no longer hear the bus before taking in the sights around her. She couldn't actually see Malfoy Manor thanks to the tall stone walls that encircled the large property. She could only see through the bars of the iron gate the paved road that led to the manor lined with neatly trimmed oak trees. There was a small intercom sticking out of the ground, tall enough for a person in a car. Taking her small suitcase in hand, Regan bent over and pressed the green button.

"Hello, my name is Regan Westwood; I'm here for the maid position." Letting her finger fall from the button, Regan stood up straight and waited for a reply. It took a moment, but finally the intercom came to life with a buzz.

"Identification number?" Came the voice of a stern woman. Regan pressed the call button again.

"2M0S-713-15PB." Regan waited again, this time receiving a much swifter response.

"Natalie will meet you at the front door." The box buzzed again and the iron gate slowly began to open inwardly. She waited a few minutes before walking down the smooth road, her gray shoes clicking against the pavement.

They had divided everybody into groups based on age and education. Because she was a young underclassmen, she and other students were taken to mock classrooms that had been made from old offices. There were no longer any houses; they were just students. Their education continued on, taught by death eaters who modified the courses to fit their needs. Of course there were students that rebelled, but they were quickly removed, never to be seen again. It only took two weeks for the students to comply and do as they were told. They lived in crowded dorms, boys mixed in with girls in bunks that stacked to the ceiling. They were forced to conform or else they would be removed, just like those that had rebelled…and nobody wanted to be removed.

Each person was given a code; a series of numbers and letters to identify that person. They broke down easily enough, stating everything that needed to be known about that person. It didn't make sense to Regan when she had first received her number, but she eventually was able to figure it out.

2M stood for two married parents, though Regan was still unsure of whether or not they were still alive.

0S meant that she had no siblings.

The 7 stood for her completion of seven years of school while 13 stood for her rank among her graduating class.

The 15 showed that she was fifteen when Harry Potter had died.

And, most importantly, the PB stated that she was a pure blood witch.

The manor finally came into view, the pristine grey stone house standing proudly among the dull shrubbery. On the short stone steps in front of the large wooden door stood a young woman that looked no older than Regan. She was dressed in a crisp black dress with a pristine white apron and a black head band that was almost lost against her black hair. Her stockings were black as were her shoes. She had a pretty face, which was surprisingly fixed in a rather warm smile.

"Hello! You must be Regan." She said as Regan approached the small stairs.

"I am." Regan calmly responded, shaking the hand that Natalie had so eagerly offered.

"So glad that you made it here safely, and early too!"

"I suppose the bus was early," Regan responded, not really aware of the time.

"Come in, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping and we'll get you a uniform." Regan nodded, following Natalie into the manor.

It was exactly how Regan had pictured it: freshly painted walls that sported classic pieces of art and antique wood work accenting the walls and doorframes. The furniture looked old as well, but everything was free of dust and the cushions appeared welcoming.

"You'll be working with me. We're not allowed to go anywhere in the house without each other, so it's best to stick to the servants quarters in your off time. We're house servants, which means that we take care of dusting, changing sheets, and serving dinner. Dinner is at seven and we have to remain present through the whole meal, no matter how long it lasts." Natalie smiled at Regan. "Don't worry, you'll get used to just standing there." Regan nodded, only half listening.

"Who comes to dinner?" She asked.

"It's usually just Master Lucius and Master Draco and Mistress Astoria and little Master Scorpio." Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"What about Narcissa?" She asked. Natalie's face grew sullen and she shook her head.

"I'll tell you later, but not now." Her eyes darted around nervously checking to see if anybody was listening. "We don't talk about what happened to Mistress Narcissa."

Regan mentally made a note to never speak about Narcissa in the main house as she was shown down a twisting flight of stairs.

"This is where you'll be living." Natalie said, her cheery attitude quickly returning. "You'll be rooming with me!"

Regan couldn't help but smile at the girl's enthusiasm, following behind her to the third door on the left. Natalie opened the door before stepping aside and allowing Regan to walk in first. The room was a fair size, though it appeared a bit narrow. Two beds sat opposite of each other flanked by blank beige walls. On the far side of the room sat simple, identical desks that faced a window that looked out over the ground level of a small garden. Regan also observed the things that Natalie had decorated her side with. There were slightly aged pictures of her family and drawings that were clearly from a younger sibling. Regan set her suitcase down on the available bed, relieved to see that she would not be sleeping in a bunk bed.

"I hope you don't think it odd, but I made you a welcome present." Natalie ducked down and pulled out a neatly knitted wool blanket. "Winter is coming and it can get a might chilly down here." Regan accepted the gift from her new roommate, running a hand across the fuzzy surface.

"This is really kind of you, thank you."

Kind; the word felt strange in her mouth. Perhaps because she hadn't said the word in so long.

"I'm just glad that you're here, I was getting tired of living alone." She admitted. "All right, let me go to the laundry room and get you a uniform. I'll be right back!"

She rushed from the room, leaving Regan in their now silent room. She took one long look around, the blanket still clutched in her hands. She gave herself some time before resting the blanket on the bed. She set to work on unpacking her things in the short dresser at the foot of her bed. It didn't take her long, since she had few items of clothing. Two dresses, two pairs of jeans, four tee shirts, a sweater, and various undergarments fit nicely into the space that had been given. She placed the two pairs of shoes that she had beside the dresser and slid her suitcase under her bed just as Natalie came back into the room.

"I wasn't able to get you any black shoes. Do you have a pair?" Regan shook her head, standing back up. "Oh, that's all right, it's just for one day." She handed Regan the neatly folded dress and apron that was identical to what she wore. "You get changed and then we'll get to work." Regan nodded as Natalie disappeared once again to give her some privacy.

Regan stood perfectly still for a moment as she absorbed her situation. This was never how she had seen her life. She had wanted to be a teacher; perhaps a professor at Hogwarts that taught Charms. She had been really good at Charms…but that was before her wand had been taken away. But Regan had come to accept that her life would never be as she had expected it to be. So she dressed herself quickly and slid the black headband onto her bright red hair.

This was the life that she had been given and she was just thankful to be alive.


	2. Servant

Chapter Two: Servant

The day passed at a steady pace, Regan finding that the work was hardly difficult. The pair took care of the main floor of the house, which included the dining hall, a formal living room, an office, the entrance hall, various closets, and a library. They mostly dusted and fluffed up cushions. Every spine of every book in the library was wiped off and Regan found herself enjoying the company of Natalie. Yes, she prattled on endlessly, but it was just good to hear somebody speak so cheerfully to her.

When it came time for dinner, they went to the dining room where another older maid and butler were waiting for them. They were Mr. and Mrs. Harvey, the house managers who had worked for the Malfoy family since they were first married. They greeted Regan politely before giving her precise instructions on what to do. She was to go to each person and allow them to take however much they wanted. When they heard voices, the four of them lined against the wall and waited quietly with their heads bowed. Regan's insides were trembling, but she wasn't sure if it was fear or dread that she felt.

"I've told you dozens of times, Diagon Alley needs to be closed."

"And I've told you that we cannot afford to lose the income."

Regan peered up as four different figures entered into the dining hall. She quickly recognized Lucius and Draco, both looking exhausted from a long days work that was clearly not over. She quickly looked away, fighting back the horrible vivid memories that were surging forward.

So much death…so much blood…

"It's dinner time, you can talk about business tomorrow." Draco's beautiful wife Astoria put a hand on her husband's shoulder with tiny Scorpio balanced on her hip. Draco sighed, but nodded as he pulled out his wife's chair for her. Their son was placed in a high chair next to his mother while Draco sat across from them with Lucius at the head of the table. Regan followed Natalie's path for it seemed that she knew the order that each person should be served. She avoided any eye contact, but it seemed that nobody was really that interested in her…not that she could see, anyway.

"And who is this?" Regan stilled as the question seemed to echo around her.

"This is Regan Westwood, sir." Natalie quickly introduced. "She's new, just arrived this morning." Regan stood perfectly still with her large bowl of green beans. She could feel that everybody was staring at her and it was an extremely uncomfortable feeling.

"And might I have the pleasure of seeing those pretty eyes, Ms. Westwood?" Regan forced herself to look at the slightly amused face of Lucius Malfoy. She fought the fear that was weighing down her chest, but for some unknown reason she was able to keep eye contact with Lucius. A ghost of a smile touched his lips before he lightly chuckled.

"Such an interesting eye color," Lucius commented.

"Thank you sir." Regan quickly answered.

"And that hair," he mused to himself. "I haven't seen hair like that since-."

"Father, just leave the poor girl alone." Draco quietly insisted. "There's no need to torment her on her first day."

"Complimenting the girl is not torturing her." Lucius shot back. "Ms. Westwood, come here." He demanded, motioning her over with the flick of his fingers. Regan slowly handed the beans to Natalie and cautiously walked forward to stand beside Lucius. He quietly looked her up and down, but his eyes seemed to always come back to the flaming locks that grew so proudly from her pale scalp. "Ms. Westwood, do you like it here, working with Natalie?"

"Yes sir." Regan instantly answered. Lucius smirked, which only proved to get on Draco's nerves.

"That is good to hear, especially since Natalie has been working alone for such a long time." He stared at Regan's blank face, as if hoping for some sort of reaction from her. "Take out your braid." That finally made Regan flinch from surprise as she offered him a curious glance.

"Sir?"

"Take out your braid, let me see your hair." He told her with a slightly more stern voice. Regan hesitated for a moment before sliding the headband from her head. With diligent fingers, Regan undid her carefully weaved braid and let her hair hang over her shoulders in loose waves. It fell naturally into its usual heavy side part, framing Regan's pale face and bringing out the gentle flush in her cheeks. Lucius leaned back in his seat completely captivated by the rich, golden color. "You don't see red hair like that nowadays." Lucius mindlessly commented.

"I wouldn't know, sir." Regan answered, feeling the strong urge to push back her hair and go to stand beside Natalie. She suddenly stiffened when Lucius reached out a slim hand to run his fingers through her hair.

"I've known a few red heads in my day…but they were all wicked, wicked people." Lucius's grip on Regan's hair suddenly tightened and he yanked Regan down to her knees. Regan let out a pained cry as she fell against Lucius's side, cringing as her scalp pulsed from the rough treatment. "You're not wicked, are you…Ms. Westwood?" Regan whimpered as he roughly grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, which seemed to amuse Lucius. "Well, are you wicked?"

"No sir." Regan finally managed to answer, her voice trembling. Lucius's smile widened as his hand let go of her chin.

"Good girl," he muttered. "Natalie, take Ms. Westwood back to your room." Natalie quickly nodded, helping Regan stand and escorting her out of the room. Regan trembled and leaned against Natalie, hearing Lucius's laughter echo around her as they disappeared into the servant's quarters.

…

"I've never seen him do that to anybody." Natalie said softly as Regan climbed into her bed. "He usually doesn't even acknowledge new servants…" Regan shrugged, running her fingers through her damp hair. Despite the rough treatment she had endured during dinner, she was thankful for the hot shower and the hot meal that she had received.

"Every boss has to scare his employees, you know, to make sure that they'll respect him." She explained, quietly thankful for the blanket that Natalie had made for her. Things were very chilly in this strange basement dormitory.

"Master Lucius never treated me like that when I first arrived…although, maybe he's more interested in you because you're the first person to start working for him since Mistress Narcissa left." Regan quirked a pale eyebrow curiously.

"What happened to her? Why did she leave?" Natalie sighed, pushing back her dark hair.

"Divorce…Master Lucius doesn't like to talk about it, but she left him. I know all the papers say that it was a mutual thing, but it wasn't...that day she left, I remember, she couldn't get out of here fast enough. I don't know all the personal details, but once the divorce was finalized, she was gone. Nobody's heard from her, not even Master Draco." Regan leaned back against the wall, letting out a small sigh. She hadn't heard that Narcissa had left; it had never been brought up when she was working at the Ministry. Of course, Regan couldn't imagine that their magical leader would openly admit to all of his employees that he had been left by his wife.

"Any idea why she divorced him so suddenly?" Natalie shook her head.

"Not any reason that I could see, but I'm not a personal servant so I don't have those connections." Natalie answered with a small shrug.

"And what does a personal servant do?" Regan asked.

"Well, it depends on the person I suppose, but usually they act as an assistant to that person. They're with them the whole day, doing whatever needs to be done..." Regan nodded, relieved when she felt a decent amount of her hair had dried.

"So it's just a servant..." She muttered, sinking down into her bed. "But wouldn't Narcissa's personal servant know where she went to?" Natalie giggled.

"Well I would hope so, they left together!" She exclaimed. "Sweet woman from Ireland, her name was Nancy. Anyway, we don't have to worry about things like that. Master Lucius has gotten so much older and I think he's more concerned with training Master Draco to take over for him than finding a new wife." Regan pulled her blankets up to her chest, lazily blinking her eyes. "So what did you do before you got here?" Natalie asked, thankfully moving on to a much more pleasant subject.

"I worked at the Ministry as a secretary. Just a lot of busy work, nothing too complicated." She said with a small smirk, thinking about the fact that she would never have to go back.

"Doesn't sound like too much fun, sitting at a desk all day."

"Living situation wasn't so great." Regan muttered. "They made all of the unmarried women live upstairs in crowded dorms. They had bunk beds stacked four high and there were only three bathrooms for all of us. As you can imagine, this place is an absolute paradise compared to where I used to live."

"Master Lucius always treats us well, much better than other households." Regan stifled back a yawn, forcing her eyes to stay open. "We should go to sleep; it's late and you've had a long day." Regan nodded, refusing to argue with the girl.

"Goodnight Natalie." She said as her young roommate turned off the lights.

"Goodnight Regan," she replied as she snuggled into her own blankets. "Regan?" Natalie suddenly asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes?" Natalie hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"I'm really glad that you're here…I didn't like being alone." Regan gently nodded with her eyes already closed.

"Me too," she whispered.

But she lied…


	3. Suggestion

Chapter Three: Suggestion

The hot August days slipped by lazily as Regan settled into the household routine. She found that she liked working here rather than the Ministry. As long as she and Natalie got their work done by the end of the day and served dinner on time, they were never bothered. Lucius didn't offer Regan a second glance after the first night. Although, when he did call out for her, he would always call her Ms. Westwood whereas other maids would always be referred to by their first name. Nobody was quite sure why he did it, but there was hardly a need to question his actions. As long as he didn't pull her hair again, Regan didn't care what he called her…as long as it wasn't derogatory or insulting.

It was just another night in early September when Lucius spoke to Regan again. She was standing in her usual spot next to Natalie as Mr. Harvey went from person to person to pour more wine into their glasses. When he reached Lucius, the middle aged man seemed entranced by the red wine flickering slightly in the crystal glass.

"Ms. Westwood," he suddenly said. Regan stepped forward, her hands crossed in front of her.

"Yes sir?"

"After you have finished clearing after dinner, come to my private study; I wish to have a word with you." Regan stiffened, clenching her hands until her knuckles were white.

"Alone, sir?" She asked, her tone expressing an uneasiness about the situation. Lucius chuckled as Mr. Harvey stepped back into line.

"Private would imply that we would be alone, wouldn't it?" His eyes flicked over to the nervous girl and mentally cursed when she wouldn't make eye contact with him. "Do as you're told, Ms. Westwood." Regan quickly nodded, stepping back in line next to Natalie. The two girls exchanged quick glances, but said nothing as the family finished dinner and began to disperse from the table. Lucius's eyes lingered on Regan as he left the room, making her neck hot and making her want to ignore his request.

"What does he want?" Regan asked quietly as she and Natalie walked down to the kitchen with the dirty dishes from dinner.

"I don't know," Natalie said quietly. "He's never behaved like this before." Regan mentally rolled her eyes. It was getting harder to believe Natalie every time she said that. Lucius Malfoy was clearly a devious man and this behavior was not something new for him.

The pair left the dishes with the kitchen staff, heading back to the main level of the house. Without needing to be asked, Natalie showed Regan to Lucius's private study on the second floor. Natalie bid her a quick goodbye before rushing away, the light clicking of her shoes echoing against the walls. Regan waited until she could no longer hear her footsteps before gently knocking on the door.

"Come in," Lucius drawled from behind the doors.

Regan took in a quick breath to perk herself up before entering the study. The only light in the room came from the lamp on his desk, so it was difficult to make out what the walls of the room looked like. She could only see Lucius sitting at his large desk that was shockingly clean. A large bay window sat behind him, the moonlight pouring in and making his bright blond hair look translucent against his skin.

"So good of you to join me so quickly." He said as she slowly walked towards his desk. "Please, take a seat." He motioned to the chair that had been placed closely to his desk. Regan did as she was told, crossing her hands in her lap. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you, sir." She politely declined. Regan wanted to run out of the room when Lucius gave her an odd smirk, but she forced herself to stay.

"I received your work file this week and finally gave it a good look this morning. It appears that you're far too over qualified for the job of a maid." Regan felt her heart jump and her stomach clench.

Oh God, was he going to fire her?

"Sir, I can assure you that I-."

"I have decided," Lucius said, cutting her off, "that instead of just a maid, you will work as my personal servant." The thought puttered around Regan's head as she tried to formulate some sort of response.

"Your…personal servant?"

"Yes, you will help me with matters of business, do any secretarial work, attend meetings with me, and so on." The odd smirk once again appeared on his face. "You will be with me all day, every day from the time that I get up until I go to sleep." Regan stared at him, trying not to run from the room.

"I'm afraid I must decline, sir. There must be somebody more qualified than-."

"I am not giving you a choice, Ms. Westwood." He told her sternly. "You will either become my personal servant or you will leave my home immediately." Regan bit her lower lip, feeling her heart pound in her chest.

What choice did she have?

She couldn't go back and work for the Ministry; she had gotten too used to sleeping in her own bed without somebody sleeping on top of her and below her. And they would probably be around people, so he would probably never abuse her like he had when she had first arrived.

"You start on Monday," Lucius told her once he saw her face relax as if she had mentally accepted the offer. "Mrs. Harvey will take you Saturday to buy appropriate clothing. On Sunday, you will be moved into the bedroom adjoining mine."

"Can't I stay with Natalie?" She asked. Lucius chuckled, slowly standing from his chair.

"I am glad that you have found a friend in Natalie, but your new position requires you to be near me at all times."

As he walked around his desk, he turned off his lamp, leaving the pair of them in the bright moonlight. Regan shifted uncomfortably in her seat as he slowly walked behind her and placed his large hands on her shrinking shoulders.

"May I call you Regan?" He suddenly asked, making Regan jump. His lips were uncomfortably close to her ear and she could feel his hot breath against her neck.

"Yes, that's fine," she answered in a low whisper. She could almost hear Lucius smirking against her skin as he reached up and slowly began to pull the hair pins from her bun. One by one, Regan felt her carefully crafted bun loosen until her hair hung down her back. Lucius plucked the headband from her head, slowly running his cool fingers through the silky strands.

"Regan, we will have to do something about your hair." Lucius muttered, still playing with her hair.

"I won't change the color." She told him sternly. That made Lucius chuckle again.

"No, we wouldn't want to do away with something so uniquely beautiful." He said. "I merely want to cut it to make you look more presentable. Is that acceptable?" Regan silently nodded, feeling him shift the hair from her back to rest at the side of her neck. A cool breeze suddenly wafted down her back and Regan gasped. She abruptly stood, knocking her chair over as she leaned against his desk with her dress now hanging off her shoulders. Lucius stood straight and stared at her, looking almost intrigued by her panic.

"No need to panic," he told her calmly. "If you do as you're told, it would feel good for you too." Regan paled at his suggestion and fought the urge to cry. Lucius suddenly darted forward to grab her, but Regan ducked out of his grasp and went running from the room. Hot, angry tears stung her cheeks as she ran as fast as her calves could carry her. Her legs were burning as he screamed after her, but she didn't listen as she ran down the service stairs. She pushed past various maids as she burst into her room and slammed the door shut behind her. Regan rested against the door, her breath coming out in short puffs.

"Good Lord, are you all right?" Natalie asked as she quickly stood from her desk and rushed to Regan. She wiped her tears away with her thumbs as Regan pulled her dress back up over her shoulders. "What on earth happened up there?" She asked, desperate to hear Regan speak. Regan pushed back her hair, letting out a trembling sigh to try and calm herself.

"I'm fine," she answered, "nothing happened…nothing…" Natalie furrowed her brow together. The lie was obvious, but why would Regan feel the urge to lie to her?

"You can tell me," Natalie assured her. "I won't tell anybody."

"There's nothing to tell." Regan insisted. "I'm going to take a bath, I'll be back shortly." She shrugged past her new friend and grabbed her supplies and a crisp new pair of pajamas. Regan rushed from the room, silently thankful that Natalie didn't follow her. She was equally thankful that when she went to the women's communal bathroom, it was completely empty.

Regan took her time, thoroughly scrubbing her body and trying to forget about the hot breath that was absolutely tormenting her. She scraped her wash cloth across her skin to try and erase the memories that were rushing through her head. She almost found herself near tears, but she violently shook her head. She had to remember the reason why she had taken this job and why she was saving every cent she could.

Somewhere in the world, her parents had to be alive. She hadn't been able to find them after the final battle and once she had finished her education she had gone straight to work for the Ministry. Regan could only hope that they were somewhere safe and even if they weren't alive…at least they weren't in any danger. Whatever the outcome, Regan had to find out what happened to her parents and that would require money. She didn't care how long it took, Regan would find out what happened to them...even if it killed her.

Regan slowly walked back towards her room, feeling calm and refreshed. Her skin was bright pink and hot, but the loose pajamas she wore helped to cool the irritated skin. She slowly opened the door, but stopped in the doorway at what she saw. Natalie was stiffly sitting on her bed, staring at a box that rested innocently on Regan's bed.

"He brought that for you." Natalie said before Regan had a chance to ask. "Didn't say a word…just placed it on your bed and left." Regan shut and locked the door behind her, putting away her things before looking back to the box. It was small, so it couldn't do her any harm…could it? She sat on her bed and pulled the box into her lap, pulling off the slim green ribbon and pulling off the lid. Inside rested her headband and every single one of her hair pins, everything lying underneath a crisp folded note.

"_My apologies_," Regan muttered after unfolding the note.

"Why is he apologizing?" Natalie asked. Regan folded the note and placed it back in the box before setting it aside on her dresser.

"I don't want to talk about it," Regan told her, climbing under her blankets and turning her back to Natalie to try and encourage the girl to go to bed and drop the issue. It took a moment, but Regan finally heard Natalie shut off the light and climb into bed. Regan clutched her blankets tightly to her chest, closing her eyes and waiting desperately for sleep to come.

Maybe tomorrow, things would be different…she could only hope that things would be different…

...

**A/N**: Soooo...reviews would be greatly appreciated :)

**Dragoon Dave**: lol I feel like I'm writing this story just for you...which is something that I'm oddly okay with :)

See you all next week!


	4. Scissors

Chapter Four: Scissors

Early Saturday morning, Mrs. Harvey took Regan in a black car to get her hair cut and new clothing. When they entered the stylish salon, Regan found herself dreading the woman with the scissors. She watched with fear as strands of her glorious red crown began to fall to the floor. She shut her eyes tightly and waited for the torment to end. When Mrs. Harvey finally convinced her to open her eyes, she was fairly surprised. Her hair was still long, but it had been layered to create a more appealing shape and bounce. She had side swept bangs that complimented the shape of her face. It was different and made Regan feel like an adult.

She hated it.

They next went to a large shop that Regan had never been to. Assuming that it had been built after the final battle, Regan silently followed Mrs. Harvey inside. When the name Lucius Malfoy was mentioned, the shop was locked up and the three sales girls offered the two ladies drinks and comfortable chairs.

"She needs everything on this list," Mrs. Harvey told them once she had sat down. She handed one of the girls a long piece of parchment that had been personally written by Lucius. "There are numbers beside each item to tell you how many she needs and Master Lucius has specified which colors he would like her to wear." Mrs. Harvey leaned back in her seat and watched the three girls rushed away to find the items on the list. Regan sat quietly, leaning back in her own seat without a thing to talk about with Mrs. Harvey. "You're very lucky," Mrs. Harvey suddenly said. "Usually a man is chosen to serve Master Lucius; he has never had a female personal servant."

"Is that a bad thing?" Regan asked. Mrs. Harvey shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not sure," she answered honestly. "I know that he won't admit it, but Master Lucius has been very upset and lonely since his wife left him. I think he's looking for some supportive female companionship."

Regan almost laughed. These people thought far too highly of him and were blind to his wicked ways. Regan almost though about telling Mrs. Harvey about the other night in his office, but she decided to spare the sweet woman any embarrassment on behalf of her employer.

"You will be a welcome comfort to him and a great deal of help. He hasn't had a personal servant for almost a year." Regan quietly nodded, perking up slightly when each girl brought back four racks of clothing, all in gray, black, and navy blue. If it wasn't one of those three colors, it was at least something dark. Everything was simple, but Regan wasn't really one to be attracted to anything flashy. She tried things on as they were handed to her, coming out to show Mrs. Harvey and gain her approval. "Oh to have your slim figure…" Mrs. Harvey said wistfully as Regan came out in an emerald green wrap dress.

Regan peered at herself in the mirror. Everything she wore was new, even down to her knickers. She didn't see what was wrong with her bra and underwear, but she didn't have much of a choice apparently.

"She'll need at least four hats, check the list again." Mrs. Harvey insisted. Instantly several hats and fascinators were brought, each one seemingly overly decadent with feathers, lace, and sequins. She begrudgingly tried on every hat and allowed Mrs. Harvey to choose which she liked best. Regan had little opinion on the matter and it seemed that Mrs. Harvey was enjoying herself. It made Regan wonder if the Harvey's had any children of their own. By Mrs. Harvey's giddy smile as Regan modeled the clothing for her, she guessed that they probably didn't have a daughter.

On the drive back, they remained silent with their many bags backed into the boot. The clothing was packed away somewhere within the Manor to be used by Regan come Monday. For now, she gladly retreated to her room for the last night that she would be staying with Natalie. Tomorrow, she would pack up her small suitcase and go somewhere deep into the Manor to start her new job. When she went to her bedroom, she almost whimpered from pity when she saw Natalie sitting like a sad lump on a log.

"Are you all right?" Regan asked, shutting the door behind her. Natalie sniffled, wiping away small tears with her sleeve.

"I'm so sad that you're moving out," she answered honestly. "Now I'll have to live alone again…and I do hate living alone." Regan sat beside her, offering her a small smile.

"It's not like I'm leaving the house." Regan said. "I'll just be in a different room…I'm not quite sure where it is exactly, but we'll still be in the same house." Natalie sadly nodded.

"Yes, I suppose that you're right…promise that you'll come and visit me?"

"Of course," Regan assured her. "You can come visit me and I'll come and visit you."

"I'm not allowed on the Master's private floor…you and Mr. Harvey are the only ones allowed up there, besides Master Lucius, obviously."

"Why is that?" Regan asked suddenly. Natalie shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, that's just how it's always been." Regan sighed, deciding not to press the issue any further.

"Well, cheer up, we can talk or…I don't know, whatever you want." That brought a smile to Natalie's tear streaked face.

"I'll help you pack and then we'll get some biscuits and milk?" Natalie suggested. Regan quickly nodded.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful."

…

After a tearful goodbye on Natalie's part, Regan was taken to the third floor of the Manor. Mr. Harvey had to unlock a pair of doors before handing the key to Regan.

"This is your key to the Master's floor. Keep it safe, you will not receive another if you lose your key."

Regan silently nodded her understanding before she was shown to the floor. It looked like the rest of the Manor, save for the lower ceilings and the fewer rooms. There was a sitting room along with a study that also acted as a library. Lucius's room was at the far end of the floor and then there was Regan's room. It was four times the size of the room that she had shared with Natalie. The room was mostly white and beige with a large bed at the far end of the room. There was a marble fireplace with a large chair placed to the side to act as a small sitting area. This whole room was bigger than her childhood home.

"The Master rises promptly at eight. You are to be awake and ready by nine so that the Master may begin his work day, is that understood?" Regan nodded again as she sat on the wooden bench at the end of her bed. "You and the Master will be brought breakfast at ten and lunch at one. Master Lucius will eat dinner in the dining hall with his family; you will dine alone in your room, either Mrs. Harvey or myself will bring you your meal. Do you have any questions?"

Regan's eyes had locked on a mahogany door that was sitting out of the way. It wasn't her bathroom nor was it her closet. The door was completely out of place in her generally light room.

"Where does that door lead to?" Mr. Harvey looked to where her eyes were locked.

"That leads to Master Lucius's room," he told her. He turned his head back to face her, an odd calm look on his face. "He had the locks removed because he needs to have…access to you at all times." Regan's eyes darkened. It was becoming more and more difficult to believe that Lucius just wanted her for more than just her personal servant.

"Mr. Harvey, be honest with me…am I really to be Master Lucius's personal servant, or does he have something else planned for me?"

"What Master Lucius does with you is none of my concern." He quickly replied. Without a single word or a nod of goodbye, he swiftly left the room and closed the door behind him. Regan slowly stood up, wandering around the room and quietly wondering to herself how she was going to personalize her new living space. She was too afraid to tack anything to the walls, but she could always tape something up…she would hopefully figure something out before she went stir crazy confined in these beige walls.

"How do you like it?" Regan stilled, turning to look over her shoulder. Lucius was standing in the now open doorway that connected her room with his. Honestly, she wasn't surprised to see him there; she had a feeling that he had been lurking in his room, waiting until he could be alone with her.

"It's a very large room," Regan answered honestly. Lucius slowly stepped into the room, looking around with an amused smirk.

"I never did like beige, but my wife insisted that it was neutral; stylish and unoffensive." Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"It's fine for me." She said, wanting to edge away from him as he slowly got closer and closer to where she was standing.

"Yes, but how can you live in a space where you are not allowed to express yourself?" He asked, though he was not expecting an answer. "We'll have the room repainted, what's your favorite color?" Regan cautiously stared at him, hesitant to answer such a simple question.

"Navy blue…sir." Lucius quirked an eyebrow.

"I pictured you as a blue person, but something in a much paler shade. Although," he finally stood in front of her, neither unable to break eye contact. "Such a dark blue would look beautiful against your pale skin."

When he made the move to brush his fingers across her cheek, Regan took a large step away from him while still maintaining eye contact. Lucius let his hand hang in mid air for a moment before letting it drop with a small chuckle.

"When we are working tomorrow, I will have your room painting and refurnished."

"Thank you sir, but there's no need." Regan answered, mentally thankful that he hadn't been angry about her rejection of his affections.

"Come into my room, your wand arrived yesterday." Lucius strode back into his space and Regan instantly followed after him. Did he really have her wand? The mere mention of it made her heart soar with excitement. It had been confiscated and locked away when she had begun working at the Ministry. They secretly feared another rebellion, especially from her generation.

Lucius strode to his desk, which was much smaller when compared with his desk downstairs, and handed her a slim, flat box. Regan quickly took it, nearly ripping off the lid. She was almost overwhelmed when she finally took it in her hand. Fourteen inch cherry wood with a unicorn hair center. As she held it, her fingers began to tingle with a fierce magical electricity.

She had never been so happy to hold her wand in her entire life.

"Regan, I'm trusting you to use your wand properly." Lucius said sternly. She looked up at him, quickly nodding.

"Yes sir, I understand." She quickly answered. Lucius was pleased to see her so happy and he felt a sense of pride swell up in his chest.

"Very good…Regan, how would you like to join my family and I for dinner tonight?" He offered. "Now that you'll be working so close to my family, I'm sure that they would like to get to know you a little better." Regan unknowingly bit her lower lip, making Lucius perk up slightly.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," she said slowly, though honestly she just didn't want to be around him more than she had to be. Although, he probably wouldn't try anything if they were going to be around his family for the evening.

"You wouldn't be intruding," Lucius assured her. "I insist that you come." Regan could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to give up. He was like a dog with a bloody bone. So Regan agreed, which only made the smirk on his face widen. "Excellent, and be sure to wear something pretty, we want you to look presentable." Lucius gave her a swift nod before taking her back to her room and carefully closing the door.

...

_A/N_: My life is in crisis mode right now. I haven't had my laptop for a week and I just finally got it back. Good news: didn't lose anything! Bad news: can't access anything until I reload microsoft word...which my mum is bringing up to me on Monday...thank God I uploaded a bunch of chapters ahead of time so that I wouldn't miss updating :) I love it when I accidentally plan ahead.

_Dragoon Dave_: I think you'll find the next chapter to be quite disturbing...but, because I know how you like it, and yes I say that with a sexual undertone, I won't say a word. And I know that I wasn't just writing for you, but you were the only one reviewing...

_AquamarineGem_: Glad that you've found my story; please continue to read and enjoy :)

_Queer King Stephen_: Oh hello again! I'm so glad that you've found me again! Follow the story and enjoy!


	5. Slender

Chapter Five: Slender

As soon as they were separated by the thick slab of wood, Lucius's smirk was gone only to be replaced by a frown of frustration. The girl had no idea what she did to him. Her virginal innocence was driving him insane. And the more that she avoided him and refused his advances, the more that he wanted her. Only one woman had ever ignored him and he had eventually succeeded in making her his wife. But now Narcissa was gone, Lucius was free to look for a new playmate…or perhaps a new wife.

Lucius wasn't used to being denied a woman's body; it was strange. He had had his pick of women that were more than willing to get on their backs and spread their legs for him, but not Regan. No, she wanted nothing to do with him. Perhaps if she knew…perhaps if she knew what he had done to get where he was, maybe then she would respect him. Only death eaters knew what had happened on the day of the final battle. It had never been their intention to let Voldemort rule. He was powerful, yes; they needed him for the very end, but after that…well, they had their own ideas about running the magical world, and they weren't so keen on sharing power. When his back was turned and he had declared his victory, Lucius had shot him down and turned him to dust. Those fools had all been so convinced that it had been stupid Longbottom cutting up the damn snake, but no…it was him. He had done something that Harry Potter had never been able to do: had had killed Voldemort.

And now, he was ruler of his domain.

Lucius leaned his forehead against the door, sighing as his erection strained against the confines of his pants. He was eager to be inside of Regan and taste her ivory skin, but he knew that it would take some effort to get her into his bed. And perhaps, since he was going to put in such effort, he should make the move to make her his wife?

It was time for him to get remarried; people seemed to trust a married man more than they trusted a single man, divorced or not. And perhaps he could get a couple of children out of her young body. He could just see it now; posters plastered everywhere of powerful, trustworthy Lucius Malfoy with his lovely, slender wife and beautiful children. Of course he was pleased with Draco and he would always be his heir, but Lucius had always pictured himself with more than one child. He had always secretly wanted a little girl after Draco had been born, but Narcissa devoted herself completely to raising their son so she never had the time or the energy to get pregnant again. The thought of getting Regan pregnant made his body tingle and his balls tighten.

He wanted her and was starting to need her.

When he heard the water turn on in her bathroom, he inwardly groaned. Images of her lithe, pale body wet from water and sweat splayed on his bed began to fly through Lucius's head and he let out a loud groan. As he loosened his belt and opened his pants to allow his erection to spring forward into the warm air, he made a mental decision.

Within a year, he would seduce Regan, marry her, claim her, and mold her into his perfect wife.

…

Regan took a quick shower, drying her hair and going into her closet to find something to wear. She ended up settling on a black dress with a scooped neck and three quarter length sleeves. It hugged her body and went to her knees with a slit up the back. She chose a pair of black closed toe shoes with a heel that was almost too high for her to walk properly. After running her hands through her hair a couple of times and forcing herself to put on a little makeup, she left her safe space and slowly made her way downstairs. Part of her was pleading with reason, trying to convince her that she should just turn around and run back to her room. But the possibility of being fired remained in her mind, so she continued to walk to the dining room. She could already hear conversations going on downstairs and she almost felt uncomfortable disturbing them. But she stepped into the doorway met with curious silence.

"Am I late?" She hesitantly asked.

"Of course not," Lucius quickly told her. "You're right on time. Come, sit beside me." Regan hesitated, but forced her feet to move towards the one chair that remained unoccupied. She made brief eye contact with Natalie, both girls exchanging quick nods before Lucius pulled out her chair for her. She sat to Lucius's right while Draco and Astoria sat across from her. They quietly took her in as she sat and Lucius scooted her to the table.

"So nice that you could join us, Ms. Westwood." Astoria said, a pleasant smile on her face. Regan nodded, offering her an equally, though forced, pleasant smile.

"Please, call me Regan, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Well then I insist that you call me Astoria," she said. "And just refer to Draco as Draco, we're not too formal when we're in such close confines." Regan nodded, leaning back as she was served her food. She was poured a glass of wine, but she knew that she wouldn't drink it. That would just put her in a dangerous position later tonight now that she was sleeping right next door to Lucius. "That's a very nice dress," Astoria commented. "Were you able to buy everything that you needed?" Regan nodded.

"Yes," she quickly answered. "I've never owned so many things." Regan admitted, instantly regretting the statement when she saw the proud smirk on Lucius's face.

"I know how to take care of my staff," he said, taking a small sip of wine.

"Lucius tells me that you're going to redecorate your room," Astoria suddenly said. "We should go shopping for some new furniture and linens and perhaps something to decorate? Would you like that?" Regan gently licked her lips.

"The furniture I have is fine." She said evenly. "There's no need to spend any more money on me."

"Just let her," Draco suddenly spoke up. "It's not like she has anything else to do all day."

It was the first time that Draco had spoken directly to her, and for some reason she felt practically no fear when she heard his voice. Regan took the opportunity and allowed herself a moment to study his face. He had his father's eyes and height, but his fine nose and fuller lips had clearly come from his mother. Regan had a faint picture of the woman in her mind, but it was difficult to remember her clearly. This was the first time that Regan also got a good sense of his body language. His upper body, the only part that Regan could see, was stiff and rigid, suggesting that he was under a great deal of stress. She couldn't really understand why he was stressed, but she couldn't make a fair assumption since she had hardly spent any time actually getting to know him in person.

"Will she be coming with us to the match?" Astoria suddenly asked, pulling Regan from her quiet thoughts.

"I don't see why not," Lucius commented.

"What match?" Regan asked as her mostly clear plate was removed from in front of her.

"The first quidditch match of the season is in two weeks, we're all going." Astoria explained.

"Regan will be coming with us," Lucius quickly told them before Regan had the change to answer for herself. "Do you like quidditch?" Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"I've never been to a game, so I wouldn't know." She said.

"Well then you must go!" Astoria happily exclaimed. "It will give you a chance to wear one of your pretty new hats." She let out a little sigh, an uncontrollable smile breaking onto her face. "It's so nice to have a girl my age in the house that I can talk to."

"You have your personal servant Amelia, you can talk to her whenever you want." Draco mumbled.

"She's almost fifty." Astoria shot back. "She doesn't care about anything that I care about."

"That's what she's paid to do," Lucius muttered, unable to take his eyes off of Regan. "If she's not doing a good job, then perhaps we should fire her and find somebody more suited to your tastes." Astoria quickly shook her head.

"Don't fire the poor woman, she doesn't have any family or anywhere to go."

"Well that would be her problem, now wouldn't it?" Lucius quickly bit out, shooting her a harsh glare before looking back to Regan. "Where is your family, Regan? Are they please that you've gotten such a good job?" Regan stared at the empty table space in front of her, clasping her hands in her lap.

"I don't know where my parents are…we were never able to find each other after…" She bit the insides of her cheeks, mentally cursing. The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of these people. "I haven't been able to find them, and I guess they haven't been able to find me."

"Would you like me to find them for you?" Lucius suddenly offered, swirling his glass of wine methodically.

Regan wouldn't lie, the offer was extremely tempting. If Lucius found her parents, then she would have no reason to continue working here. She could quit this job and they could leave the country. Then they could escape this evil and perhaps find a place to live quietly; living among the muggles would be a perfect disguise for them, until they needed to run…if they needed to run.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble for you." She responded casually, taking a small bite of her offered dessert. It was too sweet and made her lower lip pout.

"Hardly," Lucius said with a small chuckle. "I will find them this week easily."

Regan refused to show it, but she was extremely excited. She could leave this place in the next week and never be subject to Lucius's lingering stares and his eager fingers.

"I would very much appreciate the effort, sir."

...

_A/N_: My paper is consuming my life...I almost forgot to post this chapter until somebody reminded me...ugh I can't wait until Monday and then I'll have a couple days of freedom...

_Queer King Stephen_: Lots of interesting stuff to come :)

_Rasha Temple_: Glad that you found it and I'm glad that you're enjoying it!

_hannahhobnob_: I know, I love Lucius too! He's devious; it's really hot :) Please keep reading!

_Dragoon Dave_: Make you sound like a monster? When on earth did I do that? You're far from a monster, good sir. Oh, you're wondering? Well nothing shall be revealed! Dude, we've had this conversation...you don't like me to reveal plot lines...so I don't...


	6. Saddened

Chapter Six: Saddened

Regan awoke long before her alarm was set to go off. For some reason, she was nervous with butterflies in her stomach.

Why was this making her nervous?

She was just going to follow him around and be his secretary, hardly a complicated job. This would be easy.

She showered and dressed herself just as Mr. Harvey came to the door with her breakfast. Two eggs, bacon, toast, mixed fruit, orange juice; a modest breakfast that left her feeling a little better about her morning. It was far better than what she was served at the Ministry; they were lucky to see a piece of fruit, let alone actually be allowed to eat it. Wearing a high neck white cotton shirt with long sleeves and a loosely tied bow around her neck, Regan opted for a pair of high waist trousers and a pair of black flats. She had decided to go simple since this was her first day and she wasn't sure how long she would be on her feet. With her hair braided on the side of her head and then coiled into a bun, she went downstairs to Lucius's second floor study. She was surprised to find the door open as if he had been waiting for her.

What was she thinking?

Of course he was waiting for her…

"Right on time," he called from his desk as she stood in the doorway. "Are you always so punctual?" He asked as Regan shut the door behind her and strode into his office. This time the early morning light replaced the moonlight and Regan could see much better. It looked like the study downstairs with tall bookshelves and a reading chair placed in front of a fireplace; the whole place screamed grandeur.

"I try to be on time." Regan said as Lucius finally looked up from the couple pieces of parchment that rested in front of him. She couldn't ignore the way his eyes seemed to rake over her body, taking in her form and appreciating the view.

"Wear a skirt tomorrow," he suddenly told her as she continued to stand in front of him.

"Why, do you find pants offensive?" Regan instantly bit her tongue as the sly remark tumbled out. Thankfully, Lucius just chuckled at her snide remark.

"You have a wonderful set of legs and I believe that it would be a true crime to keep them hidden, don't you agree?" Before Regan could make another off handed comment, she simply nodded. "Good girl," Lucius purred. "Now sit down."

…

The next few days passed uneventfully as Regan quickly took to her new position. It was far from complicated work; she often addressed letters to be sent and took notes on meetings and recorded memos. She found that once Lucius was in a working environment, he was actually tolerable to be around. He was focused, serious, and quiet; Regan appreciated his silence more than she could ever express. And at the end of the day, she could go up to her room and enjoy a quiet dinner by herself. Then she could shower, read, and then fall asleep.

Her first weekend at the Manor was absolutely glorious. The family had decided to spend a weekend in the country and Regan had nothing to do but kill time. She finished a book and wrote a few letters to her only uncle who lived across the pond in Connecticut. She hoped that maybe he knew something about where her parents were. Until Lucius actually found them, she had no reason to give up hope just yet.

The next week passed quietly and before Regan knew it, it was the day of the first quidditch match. Regan was surprised when Astoria sent a request for her to come down so that they could get ready together. When Regan arrived, Astoria had curlers in her hair and a woman carefully doing her makeup. Astoria's eyes flicked to Regan, a disapproving look in her eyes.

"Oh you're not really going to wear that, are you?" Regan didn't get the chance to answer before Astoria was giving orders. "Go upstairs and fetch something more appropriate for her. Maybe something in an emerald green, and don't forget shoes and a nice fascinator."

A timid maid scurried past Regan as the young red head quietly wondered what was so wrong with her clothing.

"You're going to be put on display today; a simple suit just won't do the trick." Astoria explained as she motioned for Regan to sit in the cushioned chair next to her. She did as she was told, hesitant only when the makeup artist gave her a wary look. "It's nice to finally have a girl my age to talk to," Astoria admitted as she leaned away from the makeup artist.

"I'm sure that you have plenty of friends," Regan said as the makeup artist eyed her face as if planning out some sort of strategy for her face. Regan had already put on makeup; that woman was not allowed to touch her face.

"Oh I've got lots of proper acquaintances, but they never come to the Manor. You're the first person that I've been approved to be with." Regan didn't bother to question her as another woman began to unroll Astoria's hair and style her hair. "I know that you'll be working closely with Lucius, but I hope that we'll be friends."

Regan forced herself to smile when she saw the desperation on the woman's face. She was lonely and absolutely desperate for any form of human contact outside of her husband and her child. Despite all of the wealth that she had, Regan actually found herself pitying Astoria as she sat in her designer clothing with a feathered fascinator being attached to her hair.

And yet…Regan didn't pity her enough to actually be her friend.

"Do you always get this dressed up to go to a quidditch match?" Regan asked as the timid maid returned with a much more presentable outfit.

"Oh we're just going to the first game. It's all for publicity, they want to make it look like we're connected with the people." Regan nodded as Astoria leaned back with an amused smirk. "So, how do you like living here?" Regan shrugged her shoulders as her hair was suddenly yanked and subjected to the same treatment that Astoria had endured.

"The Manor is beautiful." She said, furrowing her brow together as the hair dresser pulled at her hair and made her scalp protest from the sudden, jerking movements.

"Well anybody can see that, but do you like living here?" Astoria asked with a small chuckle.

"I do," she answered simply. She didn't want to give too much away to Astoria, despite the fact that this woman was to be her friend. At the end of the day, she still reported to Lucius and anything that Regan said could be reported back to him.

It was just best to remain positive, even if it was only on the outside.

"I promise that I'll get to your room eventually, Draco's just been so stressed out. Of course, you know all about that." Regan gently nodded. Lucius had been distracted this week about some crisis in Sweden. They were trying to extend their power and get new members to the Death Eaters and apparently they weren't having much luck. He hadn't even noticed that she had worn pants on Thursday.

Regan wasn't sure that he had even had the time to look at her ass.

"Yes, I understand, Lucius has been very distracted." She commented. Astoria sighed, watching with a small smirk as the makeup artist descended on Regan's unsuspecting face.

Well fuck...

"Those two are so consumed with making sure that their power is secure in Europe before they make any attempt to establish themselves in Asia or in the Americas."

Regan stilled, finally allowing the makeup artist full access to her pale face. So it was true then. They were finally getting ready to make their move over to another continent.

Why couldn't they just be content with Europe?

Was world domination really that important?

"I see," Regan muttered. She couldn't give much of a response as the makeup artist began to pluck and shape her eyebrows, causing her eyes to water.

"But it's nothing for us to worry about, all we have to worry about today is to smile and look pretty." Regan flinched as her makeup was finished and her hair was brushed and a soft wave gently framed her face. Astoria watched as Regan was pulled behind a screen and the clothing was removed from her body only to be replaced by an emerald green dress and a fitted black blazer. The fascinator was a large, neatly tied bow with stiff netting hanging down across Regan's eyes. When she stepped out in her big black pumps, Astoria was actually impressed by the petite woman that stood in front of her. "Well, I think it's safe to say that nobody will be looking at me today." She said with a small smirk. Regan actually blushed at that, but she kept a straight face.

"I can't see why anybody would ever be interested in me." She said with a small shrug, her ankles already complaining from the abnormally high heels.

"You're new and you're very pretty." Astoria explained as she took the young woman's arm and the pair casually strolled downstairs to where two large cars were waiting to take them to the quidditch match. Lucius and Draco were having a quiet conversation, but Lucius stopped when his eyes locked on Regan as she descended the front stairs with Astoria.

"It's about time," Draco said, yanking open the car door and waiting for his wife to climb in.

"Actually, I was thinking that Regan could ride with me." Astoria said, making her husband finally look up. He quickly took in his wife's appearance, but his eyes moved to Regan's slim form and suddenly he looked interested.

"No, Regan must ride with me," Lucius insisted. "She is my personal servant after all." Astoria held onto Regan's arm tighter.

"But Regan and I have become such good friends." She said, clearly not willing to back down.

And neither was Lucius.

"She rides with me," he insisted. He yanked open his car door and motioned for Regan to climb inside. Despite the hard look in his eyes, Astoria stuck out her chin and pulled Regan to the second car.

"You get to sit with her at the match, at least let me sit with her for the drive." She waited for Regan to slide into the back seat before sitting down next to her and slamming the door shut, effectively ending the conversation. Lucius glared at her for a moment before he got into the front car with Draco climbing in right behind him. Astoria waited until they were moving before speaking again. "I see the way that he looks at you, be very careful." Astoria warned, her eyes focused on the dark car in front of them.

"What do you think he wants to do with me?" Regan asked, genuinely curious.

"It's hard to say…has he tried anything?" Regan bit the insides of her cheeks, pushing the memories of that night out of her mind.

"There was…an incident." Regan commented, not wanting to go much further into detail, but she didn't need to. Astoria could see the lingering darkness in Regan's eyes.

"If something else happens, you tell me immediately." Astoria insisted. "When Lucius sets his eye on something, he will stop at nothing to get it…and he wants you." Regan inwardly shuddered, the memory of his smooth hands playing again in her mind.

"He can't have me," she muttered. "As soon as he finds my parents, I will have no reason to remain here." Astoria's face saddened.

"What will I do after you're gone?" She asked with a sad smile. Regan shook her head, looking out the window at the passing dull foliage.

"Perhaps we shouldn't be friends," Regan quietly suggested. Astoria let out a little sigh.

"Perhaps…"

...

_A/N_: I think my university is trying to kill me...graduation cannot come fast enough...next chapter will be better...

_Dragoon Dave_: Well who else would have the power and connections to find them? Besides, who doesn't love a good moment of disaster?

Reviews are always appreciated and questions are always answered.


	7. Squeezed

Chapter Seven: Squeezed

When the two cars arrived at the entrance of the quidditch match, everybody inside was bombarded with journalists and photographers. Regan was slightly disturbed when she was forced to take Lucius's arm, but she pushed the revolt from her mind. She was just happy to be outside. Despite wanting to avoid it, Regan was quickly a source of curiosity. The reporters called out for her name, but she kept her mouth shut and her eyes down. Lucius also refused to give away any details; he just smiled and waved to the flashing bulbs of the cameras.

They took their seats at the top box and as soon as they sat down, the game began. Regan hadn't really gotten a chance to see a match, the few offered at Hogwarts were ignored due to studies and not really caring, so she was actually eager to see them play. Sadly, Lucius insisted on speaking the entire time and wouldn't give Regan a moment of peace. She even missed the moment when the seeker caught the snitch twenty-five minutes into the game and consequently ended the match. Regan was actually disappointed; she had wanted to watch a good, long match. Her stomach was in knots when Lucius once again insisted that Regan ride with him. This time, Astoria did not object. She merely got into the car after Draco and shut the door while Lucius patiently waited for Regan.

"It's getting cold out," he reminded her as the sun slowly began to set. "Get inside, let me warm you."

Regan wanted nothing more than to slam the door in his face and run away as fast as she could, but she knew that she wouldn't get very far in heels. So she climbed inside, but made sure to glue herself to the door to stay as far away as possible. It hadn't mattered, though, because he was quickly pressed against her with his arm around her shoulders as soon as the car lurched forward.

"You look beautiful," he muttered, his hot breath fanning across her neck. Regan kept her eyes focused out the window, ignoring the hand that was gripping her shoulder.

"Thank you sir," she whispered, her hands gripping the edge of her skirt with her fingers shaking.

"You shouldn't be afraid of me, I only wish to please you." His free hand rested on her knee, moving across the smooth skin.

"I don't want this." She whispered. Lucius gently kissed the spot behind her ear, nuzzling his nose into her hair.

"Let me prove to you that you need it."

Lucius squeezed her knee to emphasize his point. Regan tightly shut her eyes, feeling his hand slowly move up her leg into uncharted territory. They only opened again when his fingers brushed against her most intimate area, earning him a small gasp. Her eyes locked with the driver's who had clearly been watching them the whole time. She silently pleaded with him, asking him to do something to make this torture end. While Lucius was busy kissing and licking Regan's neck, the driver began to speed up much to Regan's relief. She mouthed him a 'thank you' with a nod to acknowledge his subtle kindness. After a swift ten minute drive, they arrived just as Lucius was removing his jacket. He looked up, clearly startled.

"That was fast," he murmured as Regan pulled down her dress hem and bolted from the car.

"Goodnight sir!" She called out as she rushed through the front door. Instead of going to her new room on the top floor, she ducked down into the servant's quarters. Natalie would let her stay the night; there was no way that she would ever turn her away. Regan knocked eagerly on the white door, her heart pounding. Her light was off, but there was no way that she could be asleep yet. She began to fidget as she waited for the door to open, intently listening to Lucius's slow footsteps. She could tell that he was contemplating whether or not he should go and find Regan to finish what he had started. Luckiliy, she didn't have to wait long to find out.

"What are you doing down here?" Natalie asked as she opened the door and took in Regan's disheveled appearance.

"May I Please come in?" Regan asked, forcing herself to smile. Natalie nodded, stepping aside and allowing Regan inside. The room looked exactly as it did when Regan had first moved in. They had yet to hire a new maid, which was actually surprising to Regan. Many people would kill to work in the Malfoy household.

"Are you all right?" Natalie asked. Regan pulled the fascinator from her hair, shrugging off her tight jacket.

"Just thought I'd come and…spend the night, I've missed you." Natalie's eyes seemed to light up, but she still looked confused.

"You didn't bring any pajamas," she commented, quirking her head to the side like a troubled dog.

"I can sleep in my knickers, it's fine." Regan quickly said as she kicked off her shoes, literally hearing her feet let out an exclamation of joy upon their new freedom.

"Regan, if something happened at the quidditch match, you can tell me." Natalie quietly insisted. "I won't judge you…I'm your friend, I would never judge you." Regan's heart almost broke at the tragic expression on Natalie's face.

"I know Natalie," Regan said with a soft smile. "Nothing happened at the match, I just really missed you."

And that was the truth...sort of.

Regan was hating her life of solitude and had missed Natalie's smiling face. She had also missed her constant chatter.

"Alright," Natalie said with a soft smile. "Do you want to borrow a night shirt?" Regan nodded, pushing back her hair.

"Sure, if you've got one to spare." Natalie rushed to her dresser, pulling out a clean, faded yellow shirt.

"I always have one to spare for you."

…

Regan slept peacefully for the first time in weeks. Since it was Sunday, she would not have to do anything for Lucius and could do as she pleased. She slept in until ten and ate a lazy breakfast with Natalie and a few other maids. They pestered Regan all morning with questions about the Malfoy family. Regan could see in their eyes that they greatly admired the powerful family, and it disgusted her. She gave brief answers until Natalie finally made them stop and shooed them away. It was then Natalie who turned to Regan to ask her questions. Regan answered the few questions that she had patiently, smirking to herself. Everybody acted as if Regan had been blessed to get such a fortunate job.

Oh if only they knew…

"A whole room, all to yourself?" Natalie asked with wide eyes. Regan nodded as the pair slowly walked up the back staircase to the private third floor.

"Yes, but I don't spend much time in my room, I'm always busy."

"This is so wonderful, I've never been to the third floor!" Natalie said eagerly. Regan smirked, pulling out her narrow key and just as she went to slip it into the lock, the door swung open. Regan almost toppled down the stairs as she and Natalie were suddenly confronted with the smooth figure of Master Lucius. He smirked when he saw her, his hair pulled into a low ponytail. Regan felt heat rush to her face as she stood staring up at him, mentally cursing her state of dress, wearing only her dress from the previous day.

"Good afternoon, Natalie." Lucius said, his eyes turning to Natalie as she stood half hidden behind Regan. "Would you mind going downstairs and telling Mr. Harvey that I would like tea for Ms. Westwood and myself?"

Natalie could only nod before turning tail and running down the stairs. When her footsteps had diminished, Lucius reached forward and slowly took away Regan's shoes and her wrinkled jacket.

"Go to the sitting room and wait for me." He said, stepping inside to let her in. Regan gritted her teeth as she stepped past him and went to the room across from hers. The room was very simple with a few chairs and a large fireplace at the far side of the room. Regan had only been in here once and it was to take notes for Lucius during a meeting. She sat close to the fire, letting the heat warm her exposed legs. Lucius came into the room a moment later, carrying a small tray of tea and placing it down on the small table between them. "Did you sleep well?" Lucius asked as he began to slowly fix his cup of tea. Regan just stared at him silently, her hands remaining still in her lap as Lucius leaned back in his chair and took a careful sip of his tea. "I expect an answer." He said, his eyes suddenly darkening.

"I slept fine." She said, the words clearly forced. Lucius nodded before taking a quick sip of his tea and then setting it back down on the tray.

"Regan, I want to have a rather frank discussion with you." He began, for the first time appearing rather uncomfortable. "It has come to my attention that my behavior towards you has been…inappropriate."

Well no shit.

That was like saying the sky was blue.

"I apologize if my actions have made you uncomfortable, but it is difficult for me to hold back my attraction for you. To be frank: I find you very beautiful and desirable."

Regan wasn't buying any of the sweet words that dripped from his mouth.

He wanted to fuck her and dump her.

"I accept your apology, may I please go?" Lucius seemed surprised by her answer as she stood up to leave. Was he really expecting her to say something different? Did he expect her to be excited about this? He quickly hopped up and blocked her from leaving. When Regan tried to go around him, he took hold of both of her wrists to force her to stay put.

"I feel that I should make my intentions plain," he said. "I intent to court you…and then marry you."

Regan almost fell to the floor. How could he intent to marry her?

He didn't even know her!

"I have no desire to marry you." Regan said simply. "I'm sure that you could find somebody else that would kill for the chance to marry you."

"It's either marriage or I make you my mistress." Lucius said as he yanked her close, his hot breath once again fanning across her neck. "I am simply trying to keep you from being labeled a whore." Regan grimaced, trying to shrug away from him.

Like she needed to be protected by him...

"I have no interest in either position," she said through gritted teeth. Regan finally ripped herself from his grasp, stumbling back a couple of steps. "As soon as my parents have been found, I am leaving." Regan let out a mental cry of frustration, fighting the urge to smack herself. She hadn't meant to reveal her plans, but she hoped that if he knew that she would never be a permanent fixture in his home, he would give up on her. Why chase something that you could never have? Despite her most sincere hope, Lucius just smirked at her, making her heart sink.

"Oh dear, I see that Mrs. Harvey hasn't had the heart to tell you…but I suppose that it doesn't matter now." Regan furrowed her brow together, watching Lucius slowly reclaim his overly cushioned chair.

"What are you talking about?" Lucius took a slow drink of his tea, his eyes remaining fixed on Regan.

"Your parents are dead…you have nobody left in the world."


	8. Swept

Chapter Eight: Swept

Regan couldn't really remember what had happened next. She did remember collapsing to the ground and seeing Lucius peer down at her, but then everything slipped away and she fell into darkness. When she awoke, it was the middle of the night and she was in her bed. Somebody had changed her out of her dress and into a cotton nightgown as well as put her hair up into a loose bun. She inwardly heaved and tried not to think about who had been the one to do it. The lamp beside her bed suddenly clicked on and she was relieved to see Astoria's kind face.

"I'm glad that you're awake, you had me worried." Regan could only blink at her, seeing her smile falter. "Regan…I'm so sorry about your parents."

Regan just stared at her, internally conflicted. The news was shocking, of course, but she wasn't quite sure that she believed it. It was very possible that her parents were dead, she knew that coming here, but Lucius was a snake in the grass and was going to do what he needed to do to keep her here. She had a lot of unanswered questions about what was going through his mind and why he would even want her in the first place. But Lucius was right...she had nowhere else to go...and part of her was trying to make a case for staying, at least for a little while. She had made more here in a week then she had in a year working at the Ministry; it was stupid, she knew that it was stupid, but she needed some sort of security so that she could stand on her own feet when she did leave..._if_ she did leave...

"Don't you worry about a thing," Astoria quickly told her. "I'll help you find employment somewhere else." Regan looked back up at Astoria. Despite Regan's insistence that they shouldn't be friends, Astoria seemed to be going out of her way to be kind to her.

"Why?"

"Well…now that Lucius has told you what he wants from you, we need to get you out of here…to keep you safe." Regan furrowed her brow together. Who was 'we'? She quickly shook her head, feeling the back of her neck throb painfully. She obviously meant her and Draco...right?

"It doesn't matter," Regan told her. "I don't have anywhere to go…I have to just survive now." Astoria firmly shook her head.

"I won't allow it," she stated firmly. "I have a single cousin that lives in Paris. I'll have him come up immediately and he can steal you away; we'll say that it's a whirlwind romance."

Regan slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard and pushing back her heavy comforter. There was worry written across her face. She was almost desperate to get Regan out of this house. Her reasons seemed obvious since Lucius was lusting after her, but there seemed to be something more to the story that Regan didn't know.

"Why are you trying to help me?" She asked quietly. Astoria's face darkened, her eyes flashing to the door almost to make sure that it was closed before she looked back at Regan.

"Why do you think I was originally brought here?" Regan paled as Astoria nervously wrung her hands. "It was a year after Narcissa had left…and Lucius wanted a new wife. It was an arranged marriage that my parents had set up. Initially I was thrilled because…well, he was extremely powerful and at the time I thought that he was very handsome. They sent me to live here for a few weeks before the wedding so I could get to know my future husband. The first night I was here, he tried to-." Her breath caught in her throat as tears pricked in her eyes.

"You don't have to say." Regan quietly told her, recognizing the fear on her face. Astoria let out a shaky sigh, shaking her head as if to return to her senses.

"I refused to marry him, not after that night, but my parents said that I didn't have a choice. I didn't know what to do...so I begged Draco to do something to help me, and I suppose he felt sorry for me. The only plan that he could come up with that would guarantee my safety was if he married me and got me pregnant as soon as possible. I don't know how he managed to do it, but Draco convinced his father that he loved me and demanded that we get married. Two weeks later, we were married and a year later I gave birth to Scorpio."

"And Draco is okay with this?" Regan asked. Astoria shrugged her shoulders.

"We have an understanding," Astoria said. "We've become friends...I know that it's not the most appealing life, but I can promise you that my cousin would treat you very well. He runs a very profitable publishing company in Paris; have you been to Paris? You would love it…and I'll come and visit you when I can." She leaned forward. "Lucius is extremely concerned with his public image. If you're in a committed relationship, he won't come anywhere near you because it would make him look bad." Regan cast her glance away from Astoria's focused eyes.

"I'm not sure…" Regan muttered, biting her lower lip.

"I'll have him come for a visit," Astoria insisted, standing up. "A visit won't hurt. Do you want me to bring you anything to eat before I go to bed?" Regan quickly shook her head.

"No, don't let me keep you up." Astoria offered her a smile before turning and leaving the room. Regan heard the door click after her and she quickly got on edge. She feared that Lucius had been listening to their conversation and would burst into her room at any moment to forbid her from running away with Astoria's cousin. But she was instantly relieved to hear his soft snores to signal his deep slumber. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting out a small sigh. If she ran with Astoria's cousin, she wouldn't actually have to marry him. He would take her to Paris and there she would run, probably to Connecticut to try and find her uncle and his family. She would be safe over there, at least for a little while. As long as Lucius didn't come after her, she could hide out in America and be treasured by the locals for her quirky British accent.

It was a good plan…as long as Lucius stayed away from her...but that was extremely doubtful...

Regan curled up in her bed, clicking off her light and hoping that 'out of sight, out of mind' would prove to be an accurate statement.

…

Within two days, Astoria's cousin was on his way. Lucius wasn't thrilled about the prospect of a house guest, but he relented when Astoria made the argument that her favorite cousin had yet to meet her only child. So Lucius had a guest room prepared and the staff was ready to welcome Astoria's cousin.

His name was Oskar Greengrass. Astoria had taken a quick moment to show Regan a wrinkled photograph from five years ago, when she had last seen him. He looked handsome with dark hair and eyes like Astoria, but he was much taller than her with broad shoulders and a thick build. Astoria had said that even though he was in his mid-thirties, he was very active and very kind. Regan didn't tell her that she had no intention of ever marrying her cousin. She felt that if Astoria knew, she would call off the meeting, no matter how inconvenient.

The day that Oskar arrived, the entire staff was assembled in the lobby with their uniforms neatly pressed and their shoes perfectly shined. Regan stood between Draco and Astoria's personal servants, each one of them wearing black. Lucius kept glancing back at her, tapping the snake head of his cane as his eyes glided over her body. She ignored him, especially when Oskar came walking through the doors. He looked very much like the picture, except his hair had begun to thin and he now wore black, fashionable glasses. Astoria hugged him tightly and they spoke a few words to each other in French. They laughed together before she began to slowly introduce him to her new family. Regan was the last to be introduced, though it didn't really surprise her. She could tell that Astoria wanted her to escape, perhaps because she really saw her as a friend. Or maybe Astoria pitied her enough to try and get her out of here. Either way, Regan was grateful for her efforts.

"And _this_ is Regan Westwood, Lucius's personal servant." Oskar's eyes seemed to light up as Regan formally shook his hand.

"Hello Mr. Greengrass, I hope that your trip was enjoyable." Oskar nodded, offering her a kind smile.

"Yes, it was very nice. I'm glad to be here."

And that was all that they said to each other.

Still, Lucius looked upset that they had ever been close to each other. He was clearly being very over protective, especially when he called for Regan to come back to work with him. He hardly spoke to her for the rest of the day, grumbling to himself as he signed documents and wrote letters. Regan didn't do much, mostly sitting and watching him with his ruby cheeks.

He was angry, possibly sexually frustrated, that much was clear.

Still, she just ignored him and waited patiently to be dismissed. When the clock struck five, he waved her away without a word and she quickly left. She went to her room, noticing that it was unusually cold.

Winter must have been coming.

"You're quick," the voice echoed around her as Regan glanced over her shoulder. Oskar was sitting on the bench at the foot of her bed, his elbows resting on his knees. Regan wasn't startled by his presence because she knew that Astoria had probably let him in. Regan faced him square on, but didn't move away from the door. "I hope that you aren't scared, Astoria let me in." Regan slowly nodded.

"I assumed," she whispered. "So, she must have mentioned her…plan?" Oskar nodded, slowly standing up. His body appeared to be very hard, but his facial features were surprisingly soft, wrinkles already starting to dig into his skin.

"She has...and I know that I'm probably older than what you want, but I would treat you well and give you a good home." Regan bit the insides of her cheeks to keep herself from smiling at his sincere words.

"Yes, I believe you." Oskar smiled at her, carefully adjusting his glasses to get a better view of the petite girl in front of him.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" He asked. Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"Aren't you expected for dinner?" Oskar shrugged his shoulders.

"I figured that since we're going to get married in the next few weeks, we should probably get to know each other."

"I suppose…" Regan muttered.

"Come on, we'll take my car and go to London."

That actually made Regan smile. Despite the fact that the wizarding world was a dark and foreboding place, the muggle world was still bright and thriving. These people had no knowledge of the death eaters, so they still had a reason to live their lives.

"Should I change?" She asked as Oskar went to open the door that she was still leaning against. His scent overtook her senses and Regan suddenly felt overwhelmed. This man was attractive, but wasn't forcing himself on her; he wanted to prove himself to her and that was oddly…engaging.

"You can if you want, but I think you look just fine." Regan slipped from between him and the door and went to her closet.

"I'll put on a dress." She said before shutting the door. Regan suddenly realized that she was actually very nervous, but she wasn't really sure why. She didn't need to impress him, but something inside of her made her want to impress him; she wanted him to see her as a beautiful person, not just a piece of ass that was worth chasing. Regan made herself just pick a dress, shaking off her nervousness and changing. It was a simple navy blue wrap dress with long sleeves that clung to her arms and swept across her knees. She left her hair up and put on a pair of dark gray round toe pumps with straps across the front to hold her foot in place. When she stepped out, she saw that Oskar was still waiting for her and he smiled again when he saw her.

"Very pretty," he commented. "Let's go before it gets too dark." Regan nodded, taking the arm that he offered and walked with him down the stairs. They walked down the stairs in complete silence, knowing that they would have to sneak out and avoid seeing Lucius. Regan could only imagine the fit that he would throw if he saw her leaving with a man that she had just met.

They made it downstairs and Regan heard Oskar let out a small sigh when he saw that his car had been left in front of the house.

"Didn't really feel like breaking into the garage just to get my car."

"You wouldn't have gotten in, Lucius is very protective of his cars." They stepped outside, quietly shutting the door and heading straight to the car.

"You're the only person in this house that doesn't call him Master Lucius," Oskar noted as he opened the car door for her.

"He doesn't deserve the title." She muttered, stepping into his car and settling into the smooth leather seat. She could see Oskar smirking as he waled to the driver's side and joined her in the car.

Glad to see that he found her to be entertaining…

"I'm glad that I can help you like Draco helped Astoria." Oskar said. Regan glanced up at him, gently biting her lip.

"I…I don't think that I'll be able to marry you so quickly." She admitted. Oskar shrugged his shoulders as he started the car and put it into drive.

"I will take you to Paris and you can stay with me nad work. If we get married, then we get married. If we don't, then at least you'll escape this place, yes?" Regan nodded and leaned back as they peeled out from the driveway.

Unbeknownst to them, from his third story bedroom, Lucius was watching the sleek, small black car drive away from the Manor. He felt the blood rush to his face as he quietly fumed to himself. He wasn't some simple fool; he knew what was going on. This cousin had come to take Regan away, much like Draco had done with Astoria.

No, Lucius was no fool.

Lucius had allowed his son to have Astoria simply because he knew that it was time for Draco to settle down and Astoria was an acceptable choice as a Malfoy bride. But this time, Lucius would not allow this complete stranger to take Regan away. Lucius had been working hard and deserved to have some sort of happiness in his life. Lucius wanted Regan and he would have her, no matter how much she protested.

...

A/N: My paper is done...I am free!

RashaTemple: I feel like at his age, he's not going to play games.

Dragoon Dave: Thank you :)


	9. Smarmy

Chapter Nine: Smarmy

They took the West End Guild Tunnel, which put them right in downtown London. For any muggle, the tunnel was just an unusually dark tunnel under a large hill, but for a witch or wizard, it would take you straight to London. It was one of several tunnels, built all throughout England for witches and wizards who preferred to drive cars. Apparently, Oscar preferred to drive, the preference stemming from the great war when anybody could be tracked by the magic that they used. He had kept off the grid and remained mostly in the muggle world to maintain his business, so he was extremely good at driving and enjoyed using the tunnels. Regan had never been through one of the tunnels before, so the transition from rural country to bustling city was truly fascinating. She starred out her window, her eyes soaking in the people and buildings that passed her by.

"Have you ever been to London?" Oskar asked as they slowed to a stop at an intersection. Regan shook her head, never ripping her eyes away from the window.

"Just to the Ministry, but they never let us go out to do anything."

"So I guess I get to pick the restaurant then?" He asked, a childish smile on his face. Regan also smiled, settling back in her seat and glancing over at Oskar.

"I suppose," she muttered. "But just so you know, I'm allergic to strawberries."

"Ah, yes, wouldn't want you dying on our first date."

They pulled up to a sleek restaurant where a carpet lined with photographers waited for them. The picked up their cameras when the car pulled up, but put them down in disappointment when they saw Regan and Oskar get out…all except for one. He was in the middle and he wore an expression of pure shock as Regan caught his eye. With fumbling fingers, he snapped a couple of shots of the pair walking inside, a greedy smile slowly spreading across his face. Regan kept her eyes down, thankful when the heavy glass door closed behind them. Oskar asked for a table in the back, seeing Regan's obvious embarrassment, and the hostess happily complied. They were seated at a quiet booth with a square table covered by a neatly pressed white linen table cloth. She noticed that Oskar smoothed his hands over the edge of the table as if admiring the cloth before looking back up at her.

"So…identification number?" He asked with a cheeky smile. Regan couldn't help but smirk as wine was poured in each of their glasses.

"2M0SS-713-15PB, you?"

"2D2SS-726-26PB." He answered before taking a sip of wine. "There, now we know everything about each other."

Regan cocked an eyebrow, going through the menu to see what she wanted. She hadn't been to a restaurant since her thirteenth birthday, when her parents had taken her to some chain restaurant in her hometown. She began to panic, though, when she saw the prices of the meals and she suddenly realized that she hadn't brought any money with her.

"I'm paying," he quickly said as he read the panic in her vibrant eyes…well, at least they were vibrant to him.

"But it's so expensive." She muttered, already scanning for the cheapest item on the menu. If she ate a basket of bread and sucked on ice cubes, that wouldn't be so bad.

"Order whatever you want; I own my own publishing company, it's not like I'm just scraping by."

His comment was followed by a loud, boisterous laugh. Though other patrons seemed annoyed by the noise, Regan actually found that she liked it. It was warm and full of life…and it reminded her for her father. So when the waiter came to take their order, Regan ordered one of her favorite meals: a half rack of BBQ ribs with an order of chips. Oskar smiled widely when she handed the menu back to the waiter and looked at Oskar expectantly.

"I'll have the same." Oskar said, handing the menu back to the waiter, who looked amused by the unusual dinner order.

"So what kinds of things do you publish?" Regan asked, finally comfortable that they were somewhat alone.

"We take English novels and text books and translate them into French," he explained easily. "We also publish small French novels, from first time novelists looking for a break."

"Sounds much better than my job." Regan muttered, actually taking a drink of the deep burgundy wine. It burned going down her throat and made her want to gag, but she swallowed and just pretended that her eyes didn't sting.

"Have you told your parents about what's going on?" He asked. Regan quickly shook her head.

"I don't even know if my parents are still alive." The admission made her swallow back the lump of tears in her throat. "Lucius says that they're dead, but I don't believe much of what he says."

"That man exudes such a smarmy attitude, it makes me shudder." Regan suddenly began to giggle, earning a curious expression from Oskar. "What's so funny?"

"I don't think smarmy is a word." She said, pushing back a stray strand of hair.

"It is so a word." Oskar argued back with a small chuckle. Regan rolled her eyes.

"It's just the creative phrasing of an author." She easily explained. Oskar scoffed, his laughter booming and hearty.

"Don't make me pull out a dictionary and prove you wrong." Regan smiled, feeling completely at ease. Oskar made her feel like she was a young girl again, when she had been completely content with her life. She decided that she liked him and that she would feel comfortable running away with him. Regan suddenly blushed at the thought of being with him, but Oskar only smiled at the embarrassed look on her face. He found her to be enduring and thought that she was smart and witty. He was thankful that his cousin had called him and made a mental note to thank her. "I like you," Oskar suddenly said, interrupting their comfortable moment of silence.

"I like you too," Regan answered quietly, staring straight into his gray blue eyes and her blush slowly disappearing. "When will we leave for Paris?" She suddenly blurted out.

"I think next weekend, when Lucius will be waist deep with problems in Sweden." Regan nodded. Lucius had found that Sweden had been more stubborn than originally anticipated. He was leaving on Wednesday and coming back Sunday to try and strike up a campaign among the existing death eaters already in Sweden. Curiously, he wasn't going to take Regan with him despite the fact that this would be purely a business trip.

But, as Regan suspected, Lucius would only find her a distraction while he really needed to be working.

So he thought that he was just giving her five days off, when in reality she would be running away with a man that she hardly knew. Of course, Regan would much rather escape with Oskar than spend another week with Lucius since he had put a marriage target on her back.

"Don't worry about the details tonight," Oskar told her. "Just talk, let me get to know you, okay?" He smiled at her, lifting his wine glass as if to toast her. Regan nodded, gently clinking her glass against his.

"Okay."

...

A/N: Short chapter, I know, but isn't Oskar adorable? Also, tomorrow = freedom...sweet freedom!

Dragoon Dave: Oh yeah, shit is going down...in later chapters...

ThePhantomismyLove: Well, all of it's actually been written, but I only update once a week...which is today...always Friday. Please keep reading :)


	10. Shifted

Chapter Ten: Shifted

They talked for hours, leaving only when their waiter informed them that they were closing and the pair needed to leave. Oskar held her close as they left, opening her car door for her before driving off the way that they came. The radio hummed away in the background, some station that played classic rock and pop songs. When they arrived back at the Manor, the entire house was dark and it seemed that everybody had gone to bed...well, almost everybody. Oskar shut off his car, but neither moved as the radio continued to play in the background. He sighed, glancing over at her with his cheeks red from the wine.

"This was a lot of fun," he said after a moment. Regan nodded, blinking sleepily. "We should do this again…well, we might not be able to sneak out of the house again, but we can still have a date."

"I would really like that."

In all honesty, Regan had never been on a date before, and she had never had a boyfriend either. Sure she had had crushes on boys, but none had ever asked her out. They probably found her too serious or too cold to ever consider her as a girlfriend. Regan knew that she liked Oskar as a person, but she wasn't sure if she wanted more. Either way, she trusted him. Oskar suddenly wrapped an arm around her chair, leaning closer to her.

"I know that it might be too forward to ask, but…would you mind if I kissed you?" Regan stared up into his eyes made dark by his limited inhibitions. He probably didn't realize that Regan hadn't been kissed since primary school, and after that the boy had gone running, screaming for a cooties shot.

"I haven't been kissed in a really long time." She admitted quietly as he leaned closer.

"That's okay," he whispered, running a thumb across her cheek before he gently pressed his lips against hers. Regan's eyes fluttered closed, letting her emotions and desires take over. She could still taste the wine on his lips and it made the kiss very sweet, yet bitter. He didn't try to do anything that would have made Regan push him away; he just kissed her exactly how a man should kiss a woman. He kissed her lightly twice more before he finally pulled away, his hand still resting on her smooth cheek.

"I'll walk you up to your room." He said, the words regretfully forced. He wanted more, but he was holding back so as not to make her uncomfortable. She stepped from the car, smoothing down the front as Oskar walked around the front of the car to take her hand and walk her through the front door. They held hands in comfortable silence as they walked up the stairs to the third floor doorway. Regan managed to pull out her key without having to let go of Oskar's hand. She found that she liked his big warm hand encasing hers with a gentle firmness. As she opened the door, she looked back to Oskar with a sad smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said with a small, sure nod. Oskar smiled, squeezing her hand before he let go.

"Until tomorrow." They hugged each other for a while before he let her go and watched her disappear through the doors. As soon as everything was locked up, Regan dashed back to her room and quietly closed the door. With inhuman speed, she got into her pajamas and slipped into bed after setting her alarm. She laid perfectly still for a moment, her heart pounding as she listened intently to Lucius's snores. The last thing that she wanted was for him to know where she had been. She listened for quite a while, reclining in her bed with her heavy blankets pulled tightly around her body. She didn't hear anything; was he still awake? Mentally she kept insisting that she had to stay awake, but the wine was making her eyelids droop and her body relax into the soft bed.

As she slipped into a peaceful sleep, she was plagued with the image of Oskar's smile and the memory of his laughter.

From the other side of the room, the door that separated Regan from Lucius creaked open, intent eyes seeking out the sleeping form of the young woman inside. With silent steps, Lucius slowly crossed the room and approached her bed, a scowl prominent on his face. He had waited for her to come home...honestly, it was surprising that she had really thought that he wouldn't notice her absence. He allowed his hand to gently pass over her cheek, causing her to turn her face towards his warmth. He smirked, feeling a swelling of pride bloom in his chest.

She wanted him; she just hadn't realized it yet...

…

The next morning, Regan awoke completely refreshed. She stretched her arms far above her head and let out a low groan. She almost wished that she could have breakfast with Oskar just so that she could see him again. It was infatuation, she could feel it, but it was almost overwhelming. She had been a little tipsy and that kiss had floored her...now that she looked back at her evening, she just had to roll her eyes at how foolishly she had acted. The last thing that Regan needed to do was to get attached to somebody...all she needed was a way out.

Regan showered and got ready for her day, dressed well before Mr. Harvey arrived with her breakfast. But when she opened the door to let him in, she was surprised to see him simply standing outside her door without his tray.

"Master Lucius has given you the rest of the week off," he said with a straight face. "And Mistress Astoria has invited you to join her in her room for breakfast." Regan slowly nodded, allowing him to escort her down to the second floor to the large sitting room where Astoria was waiting with a bouncing baby Scorpio in her lap.

"Good morning!" Astoria exclaimed, quickly dismissing Mr. Harvey and motioning for Regan to come and sit with her. "You look positively radiant, I'm assuming that your date with Oskar went well?" Regan nodded as Scorpio let out a gurgle while trying to fit his entire fist into his mouth.

"It was very nice," Regan said, the words slipping out and sounding so foreign. "If they hadn't kicked us out, we probably would have stayed for the whole night." Astoria smiled brightly, clearly pleased with herself.

"I'm so glad that you two got along, I hope that makes you feel more comfortable about going to Paris with him." She said, carefully placing Scorpio into his high chair and wiped off his drool dripping chin. "You're going to love his flat…although, he'll probably take you to his cottage for a few weeks to hide out if Lucius is going to start looking for you." Regan's stomach suddenly dropped and she felt a chill go down her spine. She hadn't even thought about Lucius going to look for her after she disappeared. Regan had just assumed that once she ran away, he would leave her alone and find somebody else to molest.

"Do you think he will come after me?" She asked quietly. Astoria simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, it depends on how the discussions go in Sweden. If things don't go well, he could very well throw a fit when he finds you married and gone." Regan chewed her lower lip, feeling the tension rise up in her stomach. Lucius had the power to find her if he wanted and it all depended on whether or not discussions went well in Sweden.

Stupid neutral Sweden…

"You can't let him come after me," Regan insisted. "He can never find me; I'll do whatever it takes to just stay hidden."

"I'll do what I can," Astoria assured her as she tapped an apple with her wand and it peeled and cut itself before hobbling over to be within reaching distance of Scorpio. "I've already talked to Oskar about this and I think that you should both go off the grid; don't use your wands and don't use magic…and don't worry, Oskar knows how to cook." Regan blushed slightly.

"I know how to cook…enough to survive, at least." Astoria lightly giggled, taking a small bite from a triangle piece of toast.

"You two will be fine, Oskar will take good care of you and you just need to keep a low profile for a couple of months." Regan sighed, suddenly not feeling as hungry as she did a few minutes ago. There was a sharp knock at the door, making the two women look up.

"Would you two care for some company?" Astoria and Regan's eyes both lit up when Draco and Oskar came walking in, Draco loosening his tie while Oskar wore slacks and a soft black sweater. He sat beside her, moving close to her and putting an arm around her shoulders. She smiled, but didn't bring her eyes up to meet his. She was sure that if she did, she would look like some silly, wide-eyed school girl.

"What are you doing here? Doesn't Lucius need you to get ready for your trip?"

"Apparently, I'm not needed." He muttered, rustling up Scorpio's hair as he eagerly reached out to his father with a loud laugh.

"What do you mean?" Astoria asked. Draco sighed with a heavy grimace on his face.

"He said that he's in a bad mood and just wants to be alone…and he kept mumbling something about the morning paper." Astoria furrowed her brow together, reaching out for her copy of the paper and beginning to scan for anything that would piss Lucius off. Apparently, when she let out a low groan, she had found it.

"Well, I guess that explains it," she muttered as she pulled out the section and showed it to Regan and Oskar.

Regan's heart dropped and she suddenly felt very cold. It was just a side article accompanied by a small moving picture of Oskar and Regan walking into the restaurant. The headline read 'Who is She?', and Regan felt the urge to just sink down under the table.

"_A flash of red and your eye is caught by a crown of glorious red hair sitting atop the head of a beautiful, mysterious lady_," Astoria began to read. "_We last saw her on the arm of Lucius Malfoy, who is considered to be the most eligible bachelor of the magical world, at the first quidditch match of the year. And now, she seems to have caught the eye of Oskar Greengrass, who is the cousin of Astoria Malfoy, the daughter-in-law of Lucius Malfoy. Calls to the Malfoy publicist have yet to be returned and his household refuses to release any records or information regarding her identity. For now, she remains a mystery, but we here at __The Quibbler__ can only speculate why this petite red head has caught the eye of two extremely powerful men. A spell, perhaps? Only time will tell who this young woman is and what could possibly make her so enticing_."

When Astoria had finished reading, Regan felt as if she had been punched in the stomach.

"That explains why Lucius was acting like a small, emotionally disturbed child." Draco muttered, leaning far back in his seat. Regan inwardly groaned as she took the paper when Astoria offered it to her.

"He knows," she whispered sadly, mentally scolding herself for losing focus and allowing herself to do something silly and fun. She should have never left the manor last night...she should have remembered that her life depended on whether or not this went well; she could not afford to mess this up!

"All he knows is that you went to dinner with Oskar." Astoria said sternly. "And what's the worse that he could do? Fire you? He can't, or else he would lose you…and if he really wants you, like he says he does, he wouldn't do that."

"Well he's going to lose her anyway, so it doesn't matter." Draco muttered. "Don't worry, he's too focused on Sweden to do anything about you right now. Hell, the old man doesn't have time to have a relationship, so I don't know why he's insisting on having you."

"He wants more children," Astoria quickly said. "Why do you think he wanted to marry me?" Draco sighed, glancing over at Regan with pale eyes.

"He won't harass you anymore, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure that you're kept far away from him...it's the least that I could do."

Regan was taken aback by his kind yet firm words. This was not the Draco that she remembered from ten years ago, standing with the elder wand ready to kill anyone who dared to challenge him. Something had changed in him, almost like he had shifted from dark to light. She wasn't sure why, but Regan suddenly felt that it was okay to trust Draco…just a little bit, but he still deserved some trust, at least for the moment.

"Me too," Oskar spoke up, offering her a reassuring smile.

"Regan, you have absolutely nothing to worry about." Astoria said with a shrug of her thin shoulders. Regan allowed herself a smile, grasping her hands in her lap.

"I could never express how much your kindness means to me." She said, earning a small smirk from Draco as Scorpio reached out for him once again. Surprisingly, Draco happily took his son and began to bounce him in his lap.

"He has many other options of women to molest; he doesn't need to corrupt you just for the fun of it." Astoria nodded in agreement, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"Yes, at least one of us will be able to live a normal life."

...

A/N: I don't really have a good excuse for uploading this chapter late...so I do apologize if I made you wait. But yes, I hope that you enjoyed and that you send me nice reviews :)

RashaTemple: lol sorry if that was a little confusing, but I kind of enjoy my code...makes me feel smart for creating it :)

Dragoon Dave: Hahaha hooray for chaos!


	11. Squirm

Chapter Eleven: Squirm

At four in the morning, on the Wednesday that Lucius was supposed to be leaving, Regan was rudely shaken awake and awoke to see a half naked Lucius wearing only silk pajama bottoms standing over her. She blinked, rubbing her eyes as she tried to reason out what was going on.

"I need to speak with you," he said as he sat on the side of her bed. "I saw the article…I know that you went out with Oskar…you need to tell me what's going on between you two."

"Nothing is going on," Regan said before she lightly yawned. "He asked me to dinner, but we haven't spoken since."

It was a lie, but her exhaustion masked just how much she was deceiving him. Lucius sighed, slowly beginning to massage his temples. Regan furrowed her brow together as he watched various emotions flash through his eyes.

Was he having a mental breakdown?

"I've been such a fool to not bring you with me, but I wouldn't be able to focus." He explained.

"I understand," Regan said, fighting to stay awake.

God, she wanted him to just go away so that she could sleep, was that too much to ask for?

Lucius suddenly reached out and tightly grasped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. He was suddenly very close and towered over her momentarily weak form.

"When I return from Sweden, I want to start formally courting you." He told her. With a rush of adrenaline, Regan was suddenly wide awake and yanked her chin out of his grasp.

"I've already told you that I have no intention of marrying you." She wasn't sure how much more she would need to say this to him to really convince him that she didn't want him. "Why are you so intent on having me?" She asked. The question had been plaguing her and she just needed to figure out why he was so interested in her.

"Because you're nothing," he said as if it was so obvious. "You have no ulterior motives and you want nothing from me."

"I wanted a job from you," she said, pulling away from him.

"Yes, but I wasn't in charge of hiring you…Regan, you want and need for nothing, but I want to give you everything."

Regan inwardly flinched when her back pressed against the headboard and Lucius continued to move towards her. His body was slowly pressed against hers and his skin felt like it was on fire. She tried to squirm away from him, but he had tightly grasped her wrists and had her pinned down to the bed. His desire was pressed against her inner thigh and he let out a low grunt as he rolled his hips against hers. Without a single word, his lips crashed against hers and he thrust his tongue into her mouth. The thought to bite him suddenly popped into her head, but Lucius would probably love it. She continued to struggle, though, because she refused to just let him do whatever he wanted.

"Stop moving," Lucius commanded when he pulled back from his very aggressive kiss. "I want you to enjoy this."

"Then get off of me!" She screamed into his face, again trying to yank her hands away from his tight grasp. His hands tightened around her wrist as his pale eyes began to darken.

"You are so difficult…"

"But that's why you like me, right?" She asked in a mocking tone with her eyes dangerously narrowed. Lucius looked absolutely infuriated as he glared down at her. Regan's face was hot from the rage that she felt and she wanted to kick him in the groin and go back to sleep.

"Marry me or else I'll make your life a living hell," he threatened in a low voice, still holding onto her wrists.

"I'll quit and leave," she shot back.

"You have nowhere to go; no one to take care of you." Regan bit the insides of her cheeks to keep herself from just screaming incoherently.

"I don't need anybody, I can take care of myself."

"I can keep you from ever getting another job."

Neither of them were willing to back down, that much was certain. So, for Regan to get him off of her, she had to say or do something that would send him over the edge.

"I would rather whore myself out than be your wife."

Judging by the shock on his face, that did it.

With a straight face, he let go of her wrists and got off of her with impossible grace. He walked back to his room with a stiff, straight back. At the door frame, he stopped and looked back at Regan over his shoulder.

"When I return from Sweden, I will announce our engagement. It will last six months and then you will become my wife and do everything that is expected of a wife. If you do not do as I say, I will be forced to…dispose of you."

Lucius shut the door quietly, leaving Regan alone with her now bruised wrists. She quietly whimpered, looking down at her abused skin that was slowly turning purple. There was no way that she would hide these with just a long sleeved sweater. People would see the bruises and assume that something had happened between them, something consensual.

Regan scowled as she rolled over and looked at her clock. It was half past four, almost four hours before she was supposed to get up, but her body was still pumping with adrenaline. She was sure that in twenty minutes, her body would once again be exhausted and she would fall back asleep, but right now she couldn't bring herself to close her eyes. She also couldn't sleep because she couldn't hear Lucius snoring. She couldn't sleep until he was asleep, because only then would she be somewhat safe. Her heart finally began to slow as she lay on her back, but her thoughts were still racing.

There was no doubt in her mind; she had to get out of here. There was now the risk that Lucius would kill her, but her death was worth the risk of gaining her freedom. She sighed, pulling her blankets up to her chin and trying to ignore the painful pulsing of her wrists.

Regan made up her mind that she would allow Oskar to take her away, but if she had to, she would pick up and run for her life.

She would never allow Lucius to catch her.

…

The next morning, the entire household staff gathered in the foyer to watch Lucius apperate to Sweden. He appeared to be in a good mood, despite what had happened only hours earlier. Regan kept quiet, trying to hide her bruises with the longest sweater that she had. It didn't seem to hide them very well, which was apparent by the horrified look that Astoria gave her. She said nothing, thankfully, but Regan knew that she was going to question her extensively once Lucius had left. Oskar had also seen them, but he had remained calm and gave her a reassuring smile that told her that it would be the last time that Lucius would ever touch her.

"Draco, say goodbye to your wife and child, we need to leave." Lucius instructed him as he pulled on his black cloak. Draco did as he was told, gently hugging Astoria and placing a kiss on Scorpio's forehead. As he said goodbye to his small family, Lucius slowly walked towards Regan while pulling on a pair of leather gloves.

"While I am gone, I want you to move your things into my room." He told her quietly. "I need to begin…educating you on how to be a proper wife." Regan scowled at him, tempted to just defy him and tell him to go shove his "education" up his old, white ass, but that probably wasn't the best course of action at this particular moment. So she nodded, her eyes darting away from his smug smirk. "I'll bring you back something nice from Sweden." He told her, running his gloved hand across her exposed cheek. Regan flinched and was mentally thankful when he stepped away from her, heading over towards Oskar. They shook hands and said pleasant goodbyes, but anybody could see that both were equally eager to let go of the other's hands.

Within minutes, Draco and Lucius had apperated away, leaving Astoria in charge. She handed Scorpio to Regan before turning to the household staff.

"Sadly, my cousin is also leaving today. He has business to attend to, so he must cut his visit short. Also…my father has informed me that Regan has handed in her resignation. Her last day will be Friday and then she will leave to pursue another career opportunity. We thank her for her services and wish her the best of luck. That is all, you are dismissed."

They all bowed together before leaving in different directions to go do whatever work that they needed to do. Natalie lingered with a sad look on her face, but she quickly left with her head down. Astoria waited until everybody was gone before she turned back to Regan with her eyes focused.

"Tell me exactly what he did to you, and don't leave out any details." She demanded. Regan did just that, speaking despite the great shame and embarrassment that she felt.

"That bastard," Oskar muttered once Regan had finished her story. Astoria's face was set in a scowl when she gently took Scorpio back from Regan.

"I think it would be best if you two left as soon as possible. You need to get as much distance between you and the Manor as possible." Oskar nodded in agreement, his eyes turning to Regan.

"You should go upstairs and pack your things; I want to leave as soon as possible." Regan rushed upstairs, her heart pounding. She hadn't planned to leave so quickly. Maybe a couple of days, but not right now. Still, she was finally going to leave. It had only been a few months, but she didn't think she could stand another moment of torture from Lucius. She pulled out her faded green suitcase and packed exactly what she had brought and nothing more. She would not allow herself to wear anything that had been bought by Lucius. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Regan changed into the only dress that she owned, wearing tights and flats to try and keep herself warm. She put on her thin gray jacket and glanced around her room one last time. She had left everything behind that he had ever given her, except for her wand, of course. It was packed away, not to be pulled out for a very long time. She let out a little sigh before pulling out her key and leaving it on her vanity and walking out the door. It felt good to walk away from the third floor and know that she would never have to go there again. She allowed herself a small smile as she arrived back at the foyer to see that only Astoria remained, still holding Scorpio.

"Oskar's gone to fetch the car…did you pack everything you needed?" She asked, clearly questioning Regan's use of her small suitcase.

"I packed what I brought and left everything else in my closets." Astoria's eyes bugged out slightly.

"Everything?" She asked, only to get a nod in response. "Where you're going, the small coastal village, doesn't exactly have a shop where you can buy clothing…are you sure that you don't want to take a few things?" Regan shook her head.

"I have enough," she insisted.

"And she can always wear some of my things," Oskar said as he came back into the home, bringing the chill of the outside in. "Don't you think she would look cute running around in one of my sweaters?" Astoria rolled her eyes as Oskar took Regan's suitcase from her.

"Not until you two are married," she said with a playful smirk. Oskar held up his hand, giving her a scout's honor with a small chuckle. Astoria sighed, a sudden sadness coming over her. "I suppose it would be best if you two didn't write for a while…but could you send me something to let me know that you're safe?"

"I'll work something out." Oskar assured her. "And if something bad happens, you'll be the first one to know." Astoria nodded, opening one arm to have Oskar hug both her and Scorpio. She then hugged Regan, patting her back with a sad smile.

"I hope that you two live a good life…and maybe, once Lucius dies, we can all see each other again?" Regan nodded as the two women pulled away from each other.

"Thank you…for everything." Regan said quietly. "I don't know how I can ever repay you for doing all of this for me."

"You don't have to do anything for me." Astoria insisted. "Just be careful and don't get caught." Regan nodded, knowing that the advice was obvious, but clearly meant to help. "Now get going, get as much distance as you can from this place." Oskar took Regan's suitcase and gave his cousin one last hug.

"You be safe too," he told her before he and Regan walked out the front door and slipped into his car. Regan let out a heavy sigh as the car started and rolled away from the Manor. She looked out the window and watched the Manor slowly disappear into the distance. "Are you all right?" Oskar asked, noticing the spaced out look in Regan's eyes. She nodded, still looking to where the Manor had been.

"I'm fine," she promised him. "I just want to remember this moment."

...

A/N: I'm posting this at three in the morning to make sure that I don't forget to post the chapter! Also, I had to get up for work...I'm up anyway, so I figured why not?

ThePhantomismyLove: My darling, it's already been written...

Dragoon Dave: Lucius is quite devious...to be honest, it's gonna get darker from here on out...


	12. Sitting

Chapter Twelve: Sitting

They drove all day, taking various tunnels where they would pop out in different countries in different towns and villages. When it got to be too dark, Oskar decided that they should stop at his flat in Paris for the night, just to be on the safe side. They arrived just as it was getting dark and Regan was thankful that their day of driving was over. They drove through the magnificent city before heading outside of the capital to a quiet neighborhood where an upscale apartment building waited for them. Parking in a shared underground garage, Oskar took both his and her suitcases and walked her to a petite elevator. It became clear that Oskar lived exclusively in a muggle community, though it was not really surprising seeing as his business catered to both muggles and magical folks. They went to the top floor, where Regan found that he was the only occupant. His apartment was extremely modern and appeared almost impersonal. There were no pictures or any decorations. She saw nothing that reflected Oskar and she had to wonder what he had done to make this space his own.

"You can sleep in the guest room tonight," he told her as he strode across the living room and pushed open a white door with his foot. Regan peeked inside, seeing that the room was only large enough to properly accommodate a twin bed. There was an elaborate desk with a comfortable chair, not that Regan would be using it. They would just be here for the night, and she had no urge to write to her uncle to tell him about her whereabouts. "The bathroom is right past the kitchen and my room is just right next to you." He said, nodding to another white door further down the hall. "Will you be all right on your own?" He asked, placing her suitcase just inside the door. Regan quickly nodded, slowly pulling off her jacket.

"I'll be fine," she told him.

"Good, are you hungry? How about you get settled on the couch and I'll make something for dinner, all right?" Regan tossed down her jacket and followed him back into the open living space. He quickly began to tinker around in the kitchen while Regan awkwardly sat in front of his blank TV. She hadn't seen one since she was seven, when she had gone to a friend's house where her father had been obsessed with muggles and their technology. They had watched some popular cartoon show, but Regan couldn't remember what it was called. After closely examining the remote control that Oskar had given her, she pushed the power button and waited patiently. The TV made a small beeping before a picture slowly began to fade onto the screen. The sound was low, but they were speaking French, so it didn't matter if Regan could hear them or not. She experimented, flipping through the channels and turning the volume up. By the time Oskar sat beside her and set the food in front of them, she felt quite accomplished. Her eyes instantly lit up when she saw what Oskar had made for her.

"I love grilled cheese," she said with a wide smile. Oskar chuckled as he took the remote from her and flipped to the only English channel that he paid for: the MBBC.

And if you couldn't guess or just didn't feel like it, that stood for the Magical British Broadcasting Company.

"…And now we move on to politics. Minister Malfoy arrived today in Sweden to being talks of expanding the Death Eaters into their territory. Legal experts predict that the talks should go well since Sweden already has a good base population of Death Eaters. And speaking of Minister Malfoy, we finally have a name to go with the face of his mystery woman."

Regan stared up at the TV with wide eyes, wondering if she had somehow misheard the woman. But then, when she saw her picture on the screen, she knew that she had heard the woman correctly.

"We now go to David Finch for the rest of the story."

"Thank you Rachel. It was a little over a month ago when we all first caught a glimpse of this beautiful red head. It was at the first quidditch match of the season, when London slaughtered Bulgaria, but nobody seemed to care about the score. All anybody could talk about was the red head on Minister Malfoy's arm.

"I'm standing here with the man that wrote the first article about the young woman in question, Mr. Edward Dopplegang. Mr. Dopplegang, tell me about the response that you received after having the article published."

"We got letters from all over the country, some even suggesting that they knew who she was. We followed every lead that we got, but each one was a dead end."

"And is it true that the Malfoy household refused to give you any information on her identity?"

"Correct, they wouldn't give us any information and they refused to release any facts on their household staff."

"But now, you've finally got her name. Would you tell us what you know about her?"

"Certainly, we now know that her name is Regan Westwood and that she works as Minister Malfoy's personal servant. She was also seen last week with Oskar Greengrass, but we have no personal information on the nature of their relationship or the relationship that she has with Minister Malfoy."

"Now, would Minister Malfoy have taken her with him since she is his personal servant, and wouldn't she prove helpful to negotiations?"

"Yes, that was our assumption as well, but it seems that she's been left behind for whatever reason."

Oskar finally shut off the television, his face hot as he quietly fumed. Who would have leaked her information to the press? There must have been a bribe, something huge. Leaked information like that could make a person lose their job. He looked to Regan, who was sitting completely still with her eyes still locked on the TV.

"Are you all right?" He asked quietly. Regan slowly nodded, gently biting her lower lip.

"I wonder who told," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter," Oskar insisted. "They know who you are, so what? Nobody will recognize you when we get to Saint Georges de Didonne." Regan nodded as she slowly leaned back on his couch.

People knew who she was…what if somebody did recognize her and turned her in? What if Lucius found her again? She shuddered, tightly closing her eyes as pushing the terrible thoughts from her mind.

"Maybe we should go to bed, we have to get an early start anyway." Regan forced her eyes open to look at Oskar, who was standing and holding a hand out to her. She took it and allowed him to pull her up from the couch. He hugged her tightly, gently rubbing her back. Regan hugged him back, taking in a deep breath, finding that his scent brought a sense of calm to her. He then slowly walked her to her room, keeping her close, but he said nothing to her. When he got her into her room, he asked her again if she needed anything, but Regan shook her head.

After an awkward moment of silence, they bid each other goodnight and Regan closed the door. She instantly shut off all the lights, happy to undress in complete darkness and quickly climb into bed. She listened to Oskar clean up a bit before he bolted the door shut and shuffled off to bed. Regan listened to him change for bed before he climbed into bed with a small groan. Within minutes he was asleep, his even soft snores signaling that he had drifted off. Regan curled up on her side, only taking up one half of the bed as she slowly blinked and felt herself giving into sleep. For the first time in months, she felt totally safe. She didn't have to worry about somebody coming into her room and possibly molesting her. She could sleep with ease and she was glad that Oskar had come to take her away.

...

A/N: Did I miss a week? Oh goodness, I do apologize; I fail. My thoughts with those in Boston, _especially_ with you Dave. Just stay inside and be safe; we're all sending you good thoughts.


	13. Somewhere

**Reader Note**: Anything enclosed in parenthesis like (this) is when somebody is speaking in French. If you've ready Chamsae, you know the drill and if not, you'll catch on quick enough.

Chapter Thirteen: Somewhere

Just as the sun was blinking through the thin curtains, Regan woke up with a small sigh. She stretched her arms far above her head, arching her back and listening to the delightful crack of her bones. Once she had settled, the smell of eggs suddenly invaded her nose. She smiled, pushing herself out of bed and taking a moment to just take in her surroundings. She combed and braided her hair and then dressed in jeans and a large gray baggy sweatshirt with cracked white Aztec designs. She repacked her suitcase and made sure that she was ready before she opened her door. Oskar was busy cooking and Regan spotted that his suitcase was already sitting at the door. She quietly placed her own suitcase next to his before she sat at the sleek bar where Oskar was cooking.

"Morning, did you sleep well?" He asked, glancing up at her with a smile.

"Yes, thank you." She said, returning the smile. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to six," he told her. "I'm glad that you were actually able to get up on your own. Last time I tried to wake somebody up, I got punched in the face, so you'll have to forgive me for not bothering to wake you." Regan shrugged her shoulders with a small smirk as Oskar handed her a plate with a huge helping of toad in the hole and two pieces of thick cut bacon.

"I don't blame you…and just for the record, I wouldn't have punched you in the face." She told him. Oskar chuckled, taking large bites of his quickly put together breakfast.

"How is it?" Oskar asked, nodding towards her plate. It wasn't as impressive as the food back at the Manor, but there was something about it that just made it so much better.

"It's very good," she said with a small nod.

And it was quite possibly the best breakfast that she had ever eaten.

They ate quietly for the next twenty minutes, and when they had finished Oskar happily washed the plates and set them aside to dry. Within minutes, they were out the door and riding in the petite elevator. They found Oskar's car easily, many of his neighbors already gone off to work. That's when a sudden thought occurred to Regan and she suddenly felt very guilty.

"What about your job?" She asked once they had left the private garage and had driven back into the city.

"I can run everything from the cabin, so don't worry. I've got my laptop and my phone; everything else can be run by my foreman."

"I just don't want your business to suffer." Regan explained, though she didn't add that it would suffer because of her.

"It'll be fine; you shouldn't worry so much about things that you have no control over."

"How can I not worry?" She suddenly blurted out. "At any moment we could be caught…how can _you_ not be worried?" Oskar smirked as they began to take the side streets where they would be forced to wait for people to move aside and off the narrow streets.

"I am worried, but all I can do now is be careful and do what I can to keep you safe." Oskar glanced over at her when they had to stop again for a group of school children to cross the street. "Regan, I like you a lot, but if we're going to survive the next couple of months in a small space, you're going to need to stop worrying that somebody is going to jump out from behind a bush, okay?"

Regan furrowed her brow together, not fully understanding his calm demeanor. Didn't he know what would happen if Lucius caught them? They would be killed, without hesitation and on the spot. Yes, they were going somewhere where they would be isolated, but that didn't mean that Lucius wouldn't find them.

But when she looked at Oskar, she saw the hope in his eyes nad saw that he was determined to make this work. She wanted to doubt him and she wanted to tell him that they were absolutely doomed, but she just couldn't do it.

So, with doubt nagging at the back of her head, Regan leaned back in her seat and just nodded. That earned her a brilliant smile from Oskar before he put his car into gear and continued down the narrow streets. They suddenly turned down another, much wider street that took them under the Arc de' Triumph. When they passed underneath, in the blink of an eye, they were suddenly driving down an empty country road.

…

They would take two more tunnels before they would finally arrive at Oskar's cabin. It was smaller than Regan thought it would be, but it was large enough for two people. It was only one room, but there was a kitchen in the corner with an eating nook in another corner and a makeshift living room next to the door. The only separate room was the bathroom, complete with a large, antique tub that Regan was eager to use. Off to the side of the living room, a leaning ladder led to a loft that held a king size bed with fluffy pillows and a plush duvet. There was a small window against the small available wall, allowing the owner a fantastic view of the ocean.

That made Regan nervous.

Was he expecting her to share a bed with him?

"Would you like to come into town with me to get some groceries?" Oskar asked after he had brought their things inside and allowed Regan to get settled. She nodded, pushing the sleeping arrangement question out of her mind for now.

She helped Oskar make a list of things that they needed and Oskar pulled out a large basket that they would shop with.

"Oh, before I forget," he suddenly said. Oskar dug into his pocket and pulled out a small ring sporting a modest diamond. He tried to put it on her ring finger, but Regan ripped her hand back and jumped away from him, staring at Oskar with wide eyes.

"What on earth are you doing?" She asked, clearly frazzled. It suddenly seemed to dawn on Oskar that he had done something wrong and he blushed from embarrassment.

"Probably should have warned you," he muttered. "This town is very old fashioned, and very religious. If you want to go about by yourself, you'll have to pretend to be my wife…or fiancée if you'd prefer."

"Seriously?" Regan asked with a quirked eyebrow. Oskar smirked, offering her the petite ring.

"It's up to you; I just don't want them to mistreat you when you go into town." Regan furrowed her brow together.

"How would they mistreat me?" She asked, still skeptical.

"I've seen them spit and throw rocks to live-in girlfriends. They've even chased a girl out of town. But again, the choice is yours to make."

Without another word, Regan snatched the ring from him and forced it onto her finger. It was tight going over her knuckle, but it rested comfortably enough on her finger.

"It suits you."

Regan stared down at her finger, not really inclined to agree with him, but she thanked him and they left the cabin for the small town.

It was only a twenty minute walk along the coastline, and Regan couldn't help but smile the whole way. Yes, it was chilly and the clouds looked as though they might burst any moment with heavy snow, but Oskar kept her close and talked the entire way. When they arrived in Saint Georges de Didonne, they went to the town square where a considerably large market was going on. There were vendors selling fresh fruit, meat, fish, and bread; all the stands were colorful with bright, sturdy fabric. People milled about, having avid conversations and enjoying the company around them. They perked up when Oskar and Regan walked by, interested to see who the young girl was that their bachelor resident had brought with him.

"(Good day Oskar! Welcome back)!" A man greeted them when they approached his large vegetable stand, fully stocked with an array of selection and colors. Regan instantly felt out of place, seeing as she didn't speak a word of French. Well, she could say 'hello', 'thank you', and 'goodbye', but that wouldn't help her much.

"(Hello Gustav, how have you and your family been)?"

"(We've been well, but I see that you have been better! Who is this lovely woman that you've brought with you)?" Oskar smiled down at Regan, seeing that she clearly didn't understand a word that either of them was saying.

"(This is my soon to be wife, her name is Regan)." The man's face instantly lit up, his eyes going to Regan.

"(Congratulations! You've done well; she's very beautiful, and look at that hair! Have you brought her here to get married)?" Oskar shrugged his shoulders, encouraging Regan to pick out whatever she wanted at the stand.

"(If she'll marry me without her family present, I would carry her down to the church tomorrow)."

"(What's this? Oskar, are you getting married)?" A slender woman from the next stand quickly approached him with a surprised smile on her face.

"(Hello Michelle. Yes, I'm getting married. This is my future bride, Regan)." Michelle kissed Regan's cheeks, quickly gushing about her pretty eyes and her unique hair.

"(My daughter will be so disappointed, she's had a crush on you since you first moved here)."

"(I'm sure that she's already found a nice boy at university)." He said, putting an arm around Regan's shoulders as she remained utterly confused. Michelle furrowed her brow together.

"(Does she speak French)?" She asked.

"(No, but I'm going to teach her)."

"(How terrible of you to let me speak French in front of her)! Forgive me, my dear, I did not know that you didn't speak French. Welcome to Saint Georges, I am Michelle." Regan let out a sigh of relief with a smile on her face. They had been going on for five minutes while she had been standing there like an idiot. "So, you are Oskar's fiancée. It's nice to see that he has found such a beautiful girl to marry."

Regan almost though about correcting her, but the ring on her finger clearly stated that she was engaged. So she smiled and leaned into Oskar to make them all believe that they were truly a couple that was very much in love.

"You two have to come to dinner at my home to celebrate your engagement." Michelle insisted.

"Thank you, but I think that Regan and I want to just spend tonight at home…alone." He told them. Gustav and Michelle exchanged a quick glance, making Regan blush heavily.

Why did Oskar have to imply that they were going to do anything other than eat dinner and sleep?

"Then at least let me give you some lamb to celebrate your return and your engagement." Michelle insisted as she walked back to her stand and nudge a man who could only be her husband. "(Henry, get the best side of lamb for Oskar and his fiancée)!"

As he began to cut the meat, Regan looked up at Oskar, who was still holding onto her.

"Where am I going to sleep?" She finally asked. The question had been bothering her and she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Well…I was thinking that maybe…well, for safety…we should probably share the bed." He finally looked at her with a flush of color on his cheeks. Regan couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or if that color was from desire, but she honestly didn't want to know. "Besides, the couch is not very comfortable to sleep on." He added.

"I don't want to have sex." She whispered, avoiding his soft eyes. She wanted to make sure that there was an established boundary that he would have to follow. She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye, feeling her chest suddenly become heavy from the tension.

"I understand," he whispered before Michelle came back with a bright pink cut of lamb.

"(Cook this with rosemary, and lots of potatoes. This girl is far too skinny)!" She told him, placing the meat in the basket that Regan was holding. "(And don't drink too much wine, you might frighten the poor girl away)." Oskar laughed, taking the basket from Regan when he saw that she was having trouble holding it.

"(I would never get drunk and try to do inappropriate things with her…that can wait until after we're married)." Michelle chuckled, giving Regan a small smile.

"Welcome to our town, I know that you'll be very happy here."

...

A/N: I thought about it and I felt really bad for not updating last week, so I've decided to post an extra chapter to make up for it! Hope you liked it!


	14. Supposed

Chapter Fourteen: Supposed

They purchased some more vegetables along with some rice, pasta, and spices before heading back home to their cabin. Oskar continued to carry the basket even though Regan insisted that she could carry it. He jokingly held it away from her as they walked home, but they quickly began to rush when it began to snow. By the time they had finished eating, a small blanket of snow had surrounded them, effectively shutting them in for the night. Regan had always loved the snow and she mentally hoped that she could sleep by the window so that she could watch the snow.

When it came time for bed, Regan awkwardly changed in the bathroom into her pajamas. She suddenly wished that she had brought something else to wear to bed besides her ratty old shirt. It was from the first concert that she had ever been to and it was a dearly loved shirt. There were rips and tears and the neck had completely been torn away, but it was just oh so comfortable and reminded her of her mother. Of course, now that she was going to share a bed with Oskar and he was going to see her like this, she wished that she had brought something else. But she didn't have much of a choice now…and if she really wanted to, she could always climb down and sleep on the couch.

When she stepped out from the bathroom, she saw that Oskar had already changed for bed and was just putting the remaining leftovers from dinner into the small refrigerator. He was wearing a pair of navy blue boxers and a gray tee shirt and Regan had never seen him so relaxed before. He looked up when she shut the bathroom door, offering her a reassuring smile.

"I see that you were a fan of the Spice Girls." He said with a small chuckle, wiping off his wet hands on a dish towel. Regan shrugged her shoulders, feeling her shirt start to fall.

"It was my first concert," she answered. Oskar nodded, slowly walking around the cabin to lock the windows and the door and shut off all the lights. Everything was dark save for the light built into the wall above the bed.

"Ladies first," Oskar said as he leaned against the sturdy ladder. Regan slowly walked towards the ladder, never daring to meet Oskar's eyes. "You look very nervous." He commented as she hesitated at the bottom of the ladder.

"The last person that came into my bed was Lucius," she admitted quietly. Oskar's eyes instantly softened at the sorrow seeping into her voice.

"I could never do that to you." He told her. "You know that I would never do anything like that to you."

Regan nodded, knowing that he was right. Still, it was difficult to sleep peacefully with a man that she hardly knew. She would never tell Oskar, but he had many of the same characteristics as Lucius. They were confident, good looking, and extremely business oriented. They were smooth and could easily speak with new people. They were worldly and desirable to women, though that was based on completely different things.

"I'll sleep on the couch if you need me to, I really don't mind." He offered, finding her obvious hesitation impossible to ignore. Regan instantly shook her head.

"No, that's not fair." She said, forcing herself to climb up the ladder and crawl onto the far side of the bed. Oskar joined her after a moment, bringing a book with him. Regan wished that she had brought a book to read, but she figured that she probably wouldn't last long with how tired she was. Oskar got himself comfortable, propping his head up and opening to the saved place in his book.

"Is the bed all right?" He asked. Regan nodded, lying on her side facing him.

"How often do you come here?" She asked, reaching up and slowly undoing her long braid.

"I usually spend at least a month here in the summer, but I've never come here during the winter. This should be fun," he muttered, his eyes no longer focused on his book but watching Regan shake out her hair. He quickly closed his book and slid it into a small cubby above their heads. He then turned to face her, a hand reaching up to gently brush the hair from her face. "Can I hold you?" He suddenly asked. Regan blinked innocently before she scooted closer to him and allowed him to wrap an arm around her body. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes as if he was going to sleep. But suddenly, when Regan least suspected it, Oskar leaned down and gently kissed her. It was very much like the first time he had kissed her; he wasn't hoping for anything more, just a kiss. She easily leaned into him, running her hands up his chest with a small sigh. He pulled her closer and he seemed so much more eager than last time, but that didn't seem to bother Regan. When he brushed his tongue against her lower lip, she didn't know what to do. When he did it again, Regan pulled back and stared up into his dazed eyes.

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked, suddenly feeling stupid for asking the question. Oskar furrowed his brow.

"Hmm?"

"What am I supposed to do when you do that with your tongue?" She asked more specifically, trying her hardest not to turn bright red. Her determined yet embarrassed expression made Oskar smirk.

"Open your mouth and use your tongue," he told her, his voice low and husky. Before she could ask him to clarify, he kissed her again and brushed his tongue against her lower lip. She opened her mouth hesitantly and was floored when his tongue entered her mouth and brushed against her own tongue.

Was this what they called making out?

It was interesting and it made Regan's body very hot and tingly. Her mind was far from ever stopping Oskar, but it suddenly came up when Oskar pulled back and simply hugged her tightly. She could feel him grinding his desire against her, but it never went any further than that. With a steady hand, Oskar reached up to turn off the light and that's exactly how the pair fell asleep, surrounded by the silent snow.

…

Far up north, sitting in front of a slowly dying fire, Lucius Malfoy sat in his black silk robe drinking a glass of scotch. Above the fireplace was a flat screen TV that was quietly playing the news. They had figured out who Regan was, all thanks to innocent Natalie. Of course, Lucius had instructed her to "leak" Regan's information and allowed her to keep the reward money. He wanted her name and face out there for multiple reasons, but mostly because he wanted people to know who she was and who she worked for…more specifically, who she belonged to.

"Come in," he responded when there was a knock at his door. Petite Natalie quietly entered, shutting and locking the door behind her. She was dressed in her typical maids outfit, but her hair was down and her face was flushed. "What is it, my dear?" He purred as he took a slow drink from his glass.

"Mr. Greengrass has left," she said with a little sigh. "He left right after you left, sir." Lucius smirked, never looking away from the television.

"And how is Regan?" He asked, feeling a sense of pride and desire rise in his chest.

"Mistress Astoria said that she handed in her resignation…to you." Lucius instantly stilled.

Well, that was unexpected.

"Is she still there?" Natalie shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not sure, but I noticed that Mistress Astoria hasn't invited her to lunch or dinner…which is strange, seeing as she's all alone." Lucius gripped his glass tightly. That little bitch…she had actually been so brazen as to run away with that bastard that she hardly knew. He thought about absolutely exploding with anger, but he decided that now was not the time. He would save it for later and take it out on the person that he really wanted to take it out on. Not to mention it would not be good to cause a scene while he was literally trying to woo the Swedish Ministry.

Lucius would just have to wait. He would let Greengrass have his fun; hell, he would even let them have Christmas together. Lucius was willing to wait until the perfect moment to strike. He would wait until they were comfortable and then he would happily destroy their ideal lives…Oskar would die, there was no question about that, but what would he do with Regan? She had defied him, but it wasn't completely her fault. She had been influenced by Oskar, possibly by Astoria too. Still, she had to be punished, but Lucius had plenty of time to come up with a plan that would quench his thirst for revenge. He finished off the rest of his scotch and gently set down his glass.

"Natalie, like all of our conversations, you are to tell nobody about this, do you understand?"

"Of course sir," she quietly answered. Lucius smirked, finally looking over to Natalie.

"Good girl…now take off your dress and get in bed."

...

A/N: Damn it, I forgot to update again; I'm really sorry all. I'm putting a reminder in my phone to tell me to update every Friday, so this will NOT happen again.

Hannahhobnob: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story :) Oskar is one of my favorites; he's very kind.

Ykoe Lowe: Well, if I actually remember to update on a weekly basis...I like to do things this way because I spend so much time writing it that I just want to draw out the enjoyment. It's not to be mean...unless it's a cliffhanger, then it is mean, but it's just fun for me :)

Dragoon Dave: So, I hope that this chapter didn't disappoint ;)


	15. Stroke

Chapter Fifteen: Stroke

"All right, my new goal is to teach you how to cook."

Regan glowered as she set down the still smoking pan on the small table. She had decided to make breakfast when she saw that Oskar had woken up early and was busily working. It had been two weeks at the cabin and it had been very quiet and Regan had come to feel comfortable. Every day, Oskar had been cooking three meals for her like clockwork and she was starting to feel bad. So she decided to cook scrambled eggs, because how hard could that be? Well, needless to say, she had ruined them completely.

"I've never seen somebody burn eggs before." Regan sighed as she sat down across from Oskar, taking a piece of toast to munch on. It looked far safer than the eggs.

"I've never needed to cook for myself," she said with a small shrug.

"Don't apologize, I appreciate the effort." He said, smiling at her from his laptop. "Are you up for a dinner party tonight? Michelle and Henry want to have us over for dinner with a few other locals to welcome you." Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"Are you sure that it's not an ambush to chase me out of town?" Oskar chuckled.

"Yes, they are quite convinced that we are getting married." Regan reached for another piece of toast, taking a big bite and slowly chewing.

"I don't have anything to wear," she said after she had swallowed.

"You don't have to dress up." Oskar insisted. "I always just wear jeans. Besides, it's cold outside, you'll freeze if you wear a dress."

Regan rolled her eyes, quickly looking away. She was going to wear a dress, no question, because it would be impolite to show up in jeans and a tee shirt. And even though much of the snow had been blown away by the strong sea winds, it was still freezing outside and even with tights her legs would not fair very well.

"Regan?" She blinked and quickly looked back to Oskar, who was smirking from her confused expression. "I lost you there for a second."

"Sorry, I was just thinking…what were you saying?"

"They invited us over for wine at four, is that all right?" Regan nodded, running a hand through her hair.

"That's fine…but…" Oskar stopped typing, looking up to see worry in Regan's eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"I was hoping to try and find my parents…Lucius told me that they were dead, but I don't believe him." Oskar nodded.

"I don't blame you. Honestly, I doubt that he even looked."

"If they're alive, I need to be with them." Regan firmly stated. "No offense, but-." Oskar held up a hand to stop her from saying whatever explanation that she had.

"I understand," he calmly said. "You should go to your parents…but I will miss you, it's been nice to have company down here." Regan softly smiled.

"You could always come with us; keep running your business from your laptop." Oskar shook his head.

"No, I wouldn't want to tag along…I doubt that your parents would approve of a man ten years older than you coming to live with them."

"But you're my friend," Regan reasoned. "Age doesn't matter…you're my friend and I can't stand the thought of you being along or hurt." Oskar slowly shut his laptop and carefully took off his fashion forward frames only to intently stare at Regan.

"I feel the same way," he slowly said. "The thought of anybody hurting you makes my blood boil." Regan didn't blush as they both thought she would; she just smiled.

"Well, then it's probably best that neither of us get hurt." Regan said. Oskar slowly stood, walking around to Regan's side of the table. Gently taking her face in his hands, he bent down and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. Regan's body was instantly hot under his touch and her body ached for something more. He then kissed her forehead before slowly straightening out. Regan did what she could to ignore the obvious erection that was straining against his snug jeans, but he was clearly embarrassed.

"I really wish that we were married," he muttered as he let out a heavy sigh.

"Why?" Regan asked innocently, though she obviously knew the answer.

"Because if we were married, then I wouldn't have to take care of myself in the bathroom." Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"I didn't expect you to be so traditional." She said, standing and taking their dishes to the sink. She grimaced when she scraped off the burnt eggs and thought of how long it would take to clean this…damn, if only she could use her wand.

"Living in a small town in France will do that to you," he said. "And don't be surprised if all Michelle wants to talk to you about is the wedding. Feel free to make something up; go crazy." Regan smirked as she began to clean and heard the bathroom door shut and lock. As the water ran over her hands, she stared out the window over the seat and watched the waves crash under the gray clouds. It was going to snow soon…hopefully Oskar would keep her warm.

…

Regan had taken over the bathroom to get ready, loosely braiding her hair into two halves before twisting the braids into a complicated looking bun. With the little makeup that she had, she evened out her skin tone and lined her eyes lightly before emphasizing her lashes with mascara. It made her eyes look huge and she felt self conscious, but she just looked away and put on her only dress. It was more appropriate as a summer dress, but she didn't have much of a choice. It was a short sleeved blousy light gray top with a draped faded floral skirt, each half separated by a thick black band. It was almost too short for her, but she had her trusty tights and a decent pair of flats. When she stepped out of the bathroom, ready for the party, she saw Oskar scrambling to pull his pants up. He wiggled his left leg, letting out a small grunt as he finally pulled them up and fastened them.

"What were you doing while I was in there?" She asked with a little smirk. Oskar cleared his throat as he pulled on a thick wool sweater.

"I got caught up in my book…you look very pretty." He said, his eyes tracing over her svelte form. She shrugged, ignoring the compliment as she went and slipped on her jacket. Oskar came up behind her, hugging her to him tightly. "You're very pretty, you shouldn't just shrug off a compliment." Regan sighed, feeling him gently kiss her cheek.

"Lucius was the only person to ever compliment me…besides my father." She told him as his lips moved down her neck.

"But I'm so much better than Lucius," he said with a smirk. His kisses became heated and his hands slipped beneath her jacket to become enveloped in the warmth inside. Regan knew that she needed to push him away, but her thoughts were becoming fuzzy and her body convinced her that she should just let him keep going; things were only going to get better. "Do you want to skip dinner?" Oskar asked against her heated skin. Regan's eyes fluttered closed as she furrowed her brow, confused by these new feelings that seemed to consume her entire body.

"Why?" She asked quietly, shuddering when he slipped her jacket off and pressed against her again.

"Because I need you," he said with a suddenly deeper voice. Regan bit her lower lip, pushing away his hands and taking a step away from him.

"Go to the bathroom, I don't want to be late." She said with a heavy blush on her cheeks, picking up her coat and shrugging it back on. Oskar stared at her, clearly physically frustrated.

"I don't want you to think that I'm going to force you, but are we ever going to…?" He didn't need to finish his sentence because Regan already knew what he was asking for.

"I don't know," she quietly admitted. "I'm…hesitant…I don't want to-."

"It's okay, I get it." Oskar quickly cut her off. "You don't want to get too attached to me, it's fine." He dashed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, making Regan jump. She knew that he was physically frustrated and upset because he was doing so much for her, but she couldn't bring herself to get intimate with him. She wanted to be with him, but every time they got close she just turned away. She didn't mean to, it was just a way to defend herself. She stood in the middle of the cabin for a long time before she slipped her coat off and slowly walked to the bathroom door.

"Oskar?" She called through the door.

"Almost done," he answered with a strained voice.

"May I come in?" She didn't give him time to answer, opting instead to push open the door and walk in. He was standing over the toilet with his pants around his ankles, but he tried to cover himself when Regan walked in.

"I'm almost done." He said again, desperately trying to hide himself from Regan, but he couldn't hide it fast enough.

"I'm sorry," Regan said with a straight face. "I want it to be you, but I just need to go slow." Oskar awkwardly shifted as he tried to keep himself hidden, but that was rather difficult seeing as his erection just wouldn't go down.

"It's okay, just go wait for me in the living room," He urged with a bright red face. But Regan didn't leave.

"Do you want me to help?" She quietly asked, biting the insides of her cheeks. That seemed to embarrass Oskar that she would even need to offer, but he looked to be physically excited at the prospect. Regan slowly stepped forward and Oskar wrapped his free arm around her, hungrily kissing her. He began to stroke himself again, holding Regan tightly and groping her ass. She whimpered from his aggressive treatment and that only made him stroke faster. He moaned against her lips and thrust his tongue into her mouth, Regan's entire body tingly from his eager fingers. He thrust up his hips and ground out a strangled moan as he came. He panted against her neck while he still continued to hold onto her tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered as he offered her a gentle kiss. Regan kissed him back, watching him calm down before he began to clean himself off. He pulled his pants up and fastened himself before he kissed Regan again. "Will this be happening very often?" He asked with a small smirk.

"Depends…how often do you do _that_?" Oskar chuckled, washing his hand before he and Regan left the bathroom to put on their jackets.

"If you're going to help me, then I'd like to do that once in the morning and once before I go to bed."

"No way," Regan answered flatly. "It should be a treat, not an expectation." Oskar chuckled, pulling on his shoes as Regan waited for him at the door.

"All right, we'll save it for my birthday." He opened the door, instantly grimacing when he looked outside. "It snowed a lot…can you walk in those shoes?" Regan narrowed her eyes, almost insulted at the question.

"I will be fine," she told him.

"I'm just saying, ballet flats and snow don't usually mix." Regan grimaced. Five minutes of walking would surely soak her feet and she would probably end up sick. She couldn't afford to be sick right now. She sighed and looked back up to Oskar.

"All right, what would you suggest that I do?"

"I'll carry you."

Without another word, he picked her up bridal style and closed the already locked door with his foot. Regan wrapped her arms around his neck, blushing lightly as they traveled along the wide path to the village. They remained quiet the entire walk, but it was a comfortable silence. Regan felt no need to say anything to him and he seemed happy enough to just carry her. They didn't ravel too far outside of the village square; Michelle and Henry literally lived right around the corner from their stand. Oskar set Regan down on the doorstep, which had been swept off for the occasion. He rang the doorbell, hoping that it would be heard over the loud chatter of the dinner guests.

"I guess it won't be just us and the family tonight." Oskar commented, making Regan tense. She did not do well around new people, especially new people that would be asking her questions…Regan didn't like it when people asked her questions. "You'll do great." Oskar assured her, seeing the worry on her face as they waited for somebody to answer the door. It suddenly swung open and they were greeted by Michelle's bright smiling face.

"You two are late!" She gently teased. "No matter, come in!" She encouraged, stepping aside to welcome the couple into her home. It was warm and tidy, the walls decorated in a floral wallpaper that sported dozens of family pictures from vacations and framed school photos. Michelle and Henry had four children, on girl and three boys. There was a dog somewhere, Regan could smell him, but judging by all the scented candles that had been lit, Michelle was clearly trying to hide it. "Everybody else has arrived, we were just waiting for you to arrive to pour the wine."

"Forgive us, somebody decided to wear improper shoes and had to be carried." Regan whipped her head around as she slipped her coat off, her green eyes flaming. Oskar instantly backed off and Michelle could only smirk.

"It does not do well to taunt your future wife," Michelle reminded him with the small wag of her finger. "Don't want her holding a grudge against you on your wedding night, do you?"

"No I do not," Oskar said firmly as he handed Michelle his jacket and she hung it along with Regan's jacket in a small hall closet.

"Come, everybody is in the dining room."

Regan balked at the idea of a table full of unknown people, but Oskar wrapped an arm around her waist and gently kissed her temple to reassure her. She felt her skin tingle as her thoughts drifted back to their activities in the bathroom. She hadn't lied when she had said that she wanted her first time to be with him. She would be damned if she let Lucius be her first; his ego was already large enough. Mostly, it was a precaution. In case Lucius did catch her and force her into his bed, he would discover that she had willingly given herself to somebody else. He would never own her virginity no matter how many times he fucked her.

Regan resolved as she stepped into a room filled with people that she didn't know that she would let Oskar have her. She knew that it would make him happy and relieve some of the physical tension that he had been feeling, so everybody would win. She sat at the table and sipped her wine, quietly wondering how to go about seducing Oskar in the least awkward way.

...

A/N: So...that happened...but I remembered to update on time so hooray for me :)

Dragoon Dave: See, we're getting sexual here, does this please you?


	16. Spot

Chapter Sixteen: Spot

When they arrived home after the lavish dinner party, Oskar had sped off to bed before Regan could gather her courage to even make an attempt to physically tempt him. So they just slept, Regan lulled by his soft, deep breathing. When she woke up the next morning, Oskar was nowhere to be found. She climbed down from their loft bed, finding the silence unnerving. Beside a plate of tater tots and scrambled eggs, she found a carefully written note. Oskar's cell phone wasn't getting reception because of the weather and his internet was too slow to have a Skype conversation with his foreman, so he was going into town to use a land line. He promised to be back before dark and urged her not to use the stove while he was gone. Regan rolled her eyes, tossing the note down and sitting down to eat. She didn't like eating by herself, having gotten used to having another person there. She finished quickly and washed her dishes, taking a long shower and using up all of the hot water.

Regan spent her day just reading, the silence cut by the howling wind outside. She kept fidgeting, knowing that she was going to try and sleep with Oskar tonight.

How was she going to do it?

Should she just be naked when he walked into the cabin?

Would that be stupid or exciting for him?

As Regan fought with herself in her mind, the clock chimed four and Oskar came stomping in from the snowy blur. He shook the snow from his arms and shoulders, shivering as he shut and locked the door behind him.

"You look cozy," he commented as he shrugged off his jacket and removed his hat, revealing his hair was sweaty and misshapen. Regan smiled slightly, shutting her book.

"Were you able to make your phone call?" Oskar nodded, pushing off his wet, heavy boots in favor for a pair of extremely soft slippers.

"Yes, I got a lot done. Sorry that I left you alone all day, are you hungry?" Regan shook her head, her heart pounding against her chest, so loud in fact that she swore that he could hear it from across the cabin. It made her mouth go dry and her hands tremble.

How was she supposed to do this?

"Michelle says hello and insisted that we come over again soon." Oskar said, walking to their small kitchen and opening the cabinets and looking for something quick to fix. Regan silently set down her book and padded to Oskar's tall form, hugging him and pressing against his back. Oskar stilled, his hands coming to rest on top of hers. "Are you all right?" He asked quietly. Regan nodded against him as she gently bit her lower lip.

"I just missed you," she muttered, gently shutting her eyes. Regan allowed him to turn in her arms so that he could properly hug her.

"I missed you too," Oskar said as his cool hand slowly rubbed her back. She hadn't bothered to wear a bra, which he could clearly feel through her thin shirt. She tried not to be embarrassed, but she suddenly felt under-dressed compared to Oskar's sweater clad form. "Are you sure that you're not hungry?"

"Not for food." Regan instantly flushed as soon as the words left her mouth.

Where had she learned to talk like that?

Thankfully, Oskar knew exactly what she meant as he ran a still chilled hand through her hair, making Regan shiver.

"Go climb in bed; I'll be there in a moment." He told her gently as he kissed the top of her head. She nodded, pulling away from his embrace and slowly climbing the ladder to their loft bed.

As she settled under the covers, Oskar slowly walked around the cabin, turning off lights and locking it up tightly. Even in the pale darkness, Regan could see that he had stripped off his clothing as he climbed in to join her. He pulled off her shirt and held her close, his fingers tracing across her bare stomach.

"It's going to hurt," he told her quietly, his lips pressed against her ear. Regan nodded, her heart beating swiftly. "I'll go slow and try not to hurt you."

"Thank you," she whispered before he firmly kissed her. Regan felt that familiar heat return to her body as he continued to kiss her and let his hands roam across her skin. Her mind was hazy when he stripped her completely and climbed on top of her. He cradled her body, fingers brushing against her most sensitive spot with a skill that only came from experience. She whimpered, closing her eyes and letting him part her legs. Regan gasped when she felt the tip press against her entrance, the head starting to stretch her out as he pushed inside. Her brow furrowed when he hit her body's last form of resistance. Oskar glanced at her quickly, as if asking for permission, before thrusting all the way inside. The sudden pain made her flinch and made tears spring to her eyes, but she knew that it was much better than any other pain that she had felt.

"Regan…are you all right?." Oskar asked when he was fully situated inside of her. She nodded, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. His movements were slow, but quickly escalated when he heard her let out small gasps and a muffled moan. Regan was shivering slightly, her mind still cloudy. He kept whispering things into her ear, telling her that he cared and that he would not let anybody hurt her, but she wasn't really listening. All she could think about was her last encounter with Lucius. He had been on top of her like this; he had wanted to be the first, but Regan had stopped that from happening. The body on top of her now was not Lucius, it was Oskar...and despite the fact that they were physically connected, Regan felt almost nothing. It struck her at that moment that she didn't love Oskar and never would; he was a friend, but a close one that happened to be risking his life for her.

Oskar finished with a loud grunt, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He kept kissing her, but eventually rolled off of her and pulled her against his chest to sleep. Regan did not fall asleep as quickly as he did; she laid there, staring up at the close ceiling and mentally laughing at how she had managed to take away something so precious to Lucius.

…

Astoria was nervous.

After sending Regan away and spending weeks alone with her son, Lucius and Draco had returned from Sweden. Draco had informed her that things had gone well, but also commented that his father had been acting strangely. He was unusually aggressive at the meetings and ended up striking fear into the Swedish Ministry. He didn't come to dinner that night, having clearly discovered that Regan was gone. Strangely enough, he didn't raise hell. He remained secluded and left Astoria and Draco alone…and very nervous.

The next morning, as Draco and Astoria were enjoying a quiet breakfast, Lucius quietly walked in and sat down across from his son and daughter-in-law. He poured himself a cup of tea, slowly drinking it without saying a word. He waited until he was totally finished before he even uttered a single syllable.

"So, I see that Regan has left."

"She resigned." Astoria quickly said. He shouldn't be surprised; he should have seen this coming.

"And I see that your cousin is gone as well." Astoria nodded, seeing Draco tense out of the corner of her eye.

"He had business to attend to."

"And tell me, do you find me to be a foolish man, Astoria?" He suddenly asked, his voice taking a hard edge.

"No, I find you to be very smart." Astoria said evenly, trying to remain calm.

"Then do not treat me as such," he muttered angrily. "Did you really think that you could pull the same trick on me twice?" Astoria narrowed her eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She replied slowly. Lucius slammed down his fist, his eyes close to mocking fire.

"I let you two do what you wanted for social reasons, but Regan was for me! You had no right to interfere with my relationship with her!"

"What relationship?" Astoria blurted out. "She couldn't stand you and was willing to do anything to get away from you."

"Control your wife, Draco." Lucius said with a cool smirk, but Draco didn't move an inch. No matter how powerful his father was, he couldn't have everything that he wanted.

"She's gone, just let her go." Astoria said with a clenched jaw.

"I don't appreciate your tone and I don't quite like that you think that you can tell me what to do." Astoria bit the insides of her cheeks o try and keep herself from exploding with anger. "I will give Regan her time to think that she's escaped, but in the new year I will go and fetch her…and I am sorry, but your cousin will have to die for his unfortunate participation in this little scheme of yours."

By this time, Astoria was shaking from rage.

"Just leave them alone," she quietly pleaded, earning a small chuckle from Lucius.

"You're lucky that I don't kill you, but Draco seems to be fond of you and Scorpio needs a mother, even if it is _you_." He slowly stood, straightening out his cloak. "Now, let's all try to have a pleasant holiday and then I'll bring Regan back."

With a curt nod, he disappeared down the hall and Astoria didn't know whether to cry or to scream.

"Don't," Draco suddenly said, his voice cold.

"What?" Astoria asked with a bitter tone.

"Don't try to contact them and don't try to warn them."

"But we have to!" She exclaimed in a low whisper. Draco quickly shook his head with cool eyes.

"If he knew exactly where they were, he would have gloated about it." He insisted. "He knows that they're in France, but he doesn't know where. If you send them a letter, you'll lead him right to them." He was right, she knew that he was right, but Astoria didn't want to accept it.

"But we have to do something."

"What can we do? They knew the risk that they were taking." Her expression softened when he saw how upset she was. "I know that you want to save Oskar, but there's no guarantee that they'll be caught. They might not even be in France anymore." Astoria slowly nodded, the tears finally falling down her cheeks. Draco gently hugged her, slowly rubbing her back. He admired his wife for trying to save the young woman like he had saved her, but there was greater risk involved in this situation. Lucius would never dare to kill Draco, but Oskar had virtually no importance to Lucius. Oskar's death would mean nothing to him; it didn't matter how many people died as long as Lucius got what he wanted.

"I just didn't want her to be stuck here for the rest of her life," she said, mourning the fate of both herself and Regan.

"You did all that you could," Draco assured her. "Now, their fate rests in their hands…and we just have to trust them." Draco's eyes darted towards the door as if to make sure that they were completely alone. "Besides…it's only a matter of time before Weasley comes." Astoria's eyes darkened, her hands clenching into fists.

"You shouldn't be saying anything about him, not now." Draco nodded, smirking slightly.

"We just have to wait…and keep him updated on everything we find out."


	17. Stopped

Chapter Seventeen: Stopped

Regan's Christmas with Oskar had been surprisingly pleasant. They had neglected to get a tree or to decorate, but she awoke to the smell of pancakes and warm syrup. Oskar's present to Regan was a pair of tall leather boots for her to travel through the snow, ordered with Michelle's help. Regan gave Oskar his present after breakfast when they went to take a shower together. He had become more affectionate since that first night and had actually become embarrassingly open about his desires. Although, Regan sometimes believed that he did this just to make her blush like a tomato. He usually got it whenever he wanted, unless Regan was just too tired. He was always gentle with her and Regan really didn't mind it. In fact, there had been times where she had come close to enjoying it. If Oskar was happy, Regan was content to just stay beside him.

"You're eating a lot more than you usually do," Oskar commented after their shower, watching Regan dig into a large loaf of bread. She quirked an eyebrow, suddenly feeling self-conscious about her body. "It's not a bad thing." He quickly told her, seeing the expression on her face. "You need to eat more, you're so skinny."

"I guess I'm just hungrier than usual." She muttered, her thoughts drifting to the jar of peanut butter in the cupboard above her head and how good it would taste on the bread.

"I like to see you eat," he said, the smoothness of his voice making her blush. She hated how he could make her hot with a touch or a tone in his voice, but he seemed to enjoy it. Of course, he couldn't be ready to go again this soon. He was probably just doing this to get a rise out of her.

Lucky for him, it was working.

Oskar tore off a piece of her bread, his body extremely close and still wet from the shower. He gently kissed her, smirking when she eagerly responded.

"Happy Christmas," he told her with a soft smile. Regan nodded, returning the sweet smile. "Want to do anything special today?" Regan shook her head, setting down the bread and starting to braid her damp hair.

"Can't we just stay here?" She asked.

"Don't you want to test your new boots? I won't carry you, but I insist that you let me hold your hand." Regan rolled her eyes with a little smile.

"I'm not having another snow ball fight with you, not when you cheat." Oskar chuckled, pulling on a pair of snug boxers and slowly beginning to get dressed.

"Michelle invited us to dinner tonight and I'm sure that she would love to see you wearing your new boots." Regan shrugged her shoulders, almost disappointed when Oskar pulled on a sweater.

"I just want to stay in and have you cook," she admitted. Oskar nodded, hugging her and encasing her in a wooly cocoon. She smiled and closed her eyes, wishing for this moment to last for a very long time.

"I'll cook, but you have to help…and put some clothing on or else I'll never be able to focus." Regan did as she was asked, pulling on a pair of yoga pants and a tight white v-neck tee shirt. When she turned around, she saw that Oskar had pulled on sweatpants along with his dark gray sweater. He passed her a cutting board filled with a colorful array of vegetables. She had gotten quite good at mincing and it couldn't have happened at a more perfect time since she had grown frustrated with Oskar for doing all the cooking. At least now she could contribute to a meal.

"I've been thinking," Regan started, "maybe we should consider changing locations…just in case." Oskar nodded as he cut the pork roast that he had bought from Michelle a few days earlier.

"I was thinking about that too." He said. "Any preference as to where you'd like to move?" Regan wanted to go to Connecticut to see her uncle, but that didn't seem like the smart thing to do. That would be the obvious choice and she could be putting her family in danger. It was best to go somewhere with lots of people…and where they could hide easily.

"Somewhere warm," she said, her longing for the sun apparent.

"I've always wanted to go to New Orleans, what do you think?"

"New Orleans…like in America?" Regan asked, earning a nod from Oskar.

"It looks like a fun place and it seems like we could hide easily…plus I could expand my business, start printing books in America. And they have a huge magical population, not a single Death Eater among them." Oskar stated proudly. Regan sniffled as she cut the onions into thick slices, trying to breathe through her mouth.

"You've really researched this." Oskar shrugged his shoulders as he began to arrange the vegetables that Regan had cut up.

"I've always wanted to travel, but I've never had the opportunity to do it."

"Glad that I can force you to do something." She said, sticking the cutting board and the knife into the sink to be washed later.

"A woman can make a man do anything as long as he's in love with her." He said, placing the roast in the preheated oven and setting a timer for four hours. He leaned against the counter, staring down intently at Regan. She knew that she wanted her to return his affections, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.

She cared for him, wasn't that good enough?

"Do you want to lie down?" Oskar asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"In what capacity?" Regan asked as she watched Oskar slowly shuffle over to their loft bed.

"Don't worry, I just want to read…possibly take a nap." Regan nodded, turning off the kitchen light and climbing up after Oskar. He instantly pulled her close, kissing her fiercely and brushing his hand across her breast.

"You said that you wanted to read." She muttered against his lips as he aggressively yanked off her pants leaving her naked from the waist down. When he entered her, she gasped and arched slightly, making him grunt with a smirk.

"I lied…"

…

The next few days passed in a surprising flurry of activity. They had solidified their travel plans to New Orleans, even renting out a small house that was fully furnished and just waiting for their arrival. They had decided to apperate, finding that it would be much easier than taking a plane. There was the risk that somebody would detect their use of magic and alert Lucius, but they were willing to take the risk. There wasn't much that he could do anyway. He could tell where they had apperated from, but there was no way to tell where they had gone to. Again, they were willing to take the risk.

The day before they had planned to leave, Regan went to the village by herself to get some food for when they went to their new home. They were planning to just get settled for a few days, so they couldn't be sure as to when they could make a trip to the market. Regan was actually getting excited about the move. While Oskar worked at home, she had entertained the thought of getting a job. She would probably have no trouble finding a job as a receptionist or a secretary because that's all that she had done for her whole life. Plus, her accent would add a touch of class to any office that she worked for. She would be able to get out and make new friends and make a financial contribution to the household. The idea made her smile with pure glee.

Regan strolled through the market, finding that it was surprisingly sparse. The snow had driven many vendors and customers away, but there were still a few people out here, like Michelle. In their heated stand, she and her husband continued to work and warmly greeted Regan when she approached.

"Nice boots," Michelle said with a proud smile.

"Thank you, I love them…and thank you for helping Oskar pick them out." Michelle casually shrugged her shoulders.

"You're a stylish girl. Oskar means well, but he should not be allowed to shop for clothing for you." Regan smiled slightly. Oskar was very good about dressing himself, but who's to say that somebody didn't pick out all of his clothing for him?

The women chatted for a bit, talking about Michelle's family and Regan's move as snow slowly began to fall around them.

"So, was your friend able to find you?" Michelle suddenly asked. Regan was still smiling, but her brow furrowed together out of confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"That man that was looking for you this morning, oh what was his name…? Something odd…" The color slowly drained from Regan's face as she felt her heart almost stop.

"What did he look like?" She asked in a low voice.

"He was pale, angular face, gray eyes…and long blond hair. He was wearing a black cloak and had a cane with a snake on it." Regan wanted to cry and Michelle became concerned at the panicked look on the young girl's face. "Are you all right dear?"

"Did you tell him where to find us?" Regan asked bluntly.

"Well yes…he was a friend of yours, wasn't he? Regan?"

But Regan didn't hear her. She dropped her basket and went running as fast as he could towards their cabin. She suddenly felt weak and stupid for ever hoping for a life that would ever be free of turmoil and pain. She should have never hoped to escape; she should have known that Lucius would find her eventually. She turned onto the trail that led her to her cabin and for a moment she was relieved to see smoke coming from the chimney, but her fears returned when she saw that their front door was wide open. She continued to run, slipping on the packed icy snow, but refusing to allow it to slow her down.

She stumbled into the cabin, calling for Oskar as she gripped the door frame. She was met by silence and part of her was lulled by the perfect appearance of the cabin. Nothing seemed to have been moved…but why was the door open?

And why was there a large white box on their dining table?

Regan approached it slowly, a slight gush of wind blowing at her back and sending a chill down her spine. She pulled off the top and pushed aside the delicate tissue paper, quickly becoming puzzled. There was a delicate forest green sequined dress resting inside, giving off the impression that it was extremely expensive. For a moment, she thought that perhaps Oskar had bought her a new dress…and perhaps that man who had spoken to Michelle was just here to deliver it…?

Maybe this was all just a fluke…maybe Regan was just too suspicious of her surroundings...

Just as Regan was about to pick up the dress to examine it, she jumped when she heard the toilet flush in the bathroom. She let out a low sigh of relief, putting the top back on the box.

"Oskar, why did you leave the door open?" She asked, striding over to the door to close it, but she stopped dead in her tracks when two tall Death Eaters came to the doorway. She began to slowly step away from them, her frightened eyes focused on their large hands.

They were caked with blood…

The door to the bathroom creaked open, firm footsteps sounding against the sturdy wood floor. Regan slowly peered over her shoulder, her breath contained in her chest. Lucius stood exactly as Michelle had described him, smirking as he wiped his hands free of the wet, slick blood. Regan tried to calm herself, but the tears still sprung to her eyes.

She knew that Oskar was dead.

"Do you like the dress that I brought you?" Lucius asked, tossing the towel to the floor. Regan didn't answer, the tears streaking down her face as she stood absolutely enraged.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"I told you that I would bring you back something nice from Sweden. And yes, talks went very well, thank you for asking."

Still, she refused to speak. Regan just continued to stare at him, her green eyes glossy from tears.

"Are you speechless because you're so pleased to see me?"

That did it.

Regan screamed and lunged forward, her hands reaching out to strangle Lucius's neck. She wanted so badly to kill him and watch the light escape from his eyes, but efforts were in vain. Lucius didn't flinch as Regan was roughly grabbed by the death eaters and held back. She struggled and fought, able to get in a few hard kicks before she was subdued and pinned to the ground. Lucius stood over her, the smirk gone from his face as he knelt down to get close to her.

"You shouldn't do something so rash, it's improper to attack the one who cares for you."

"I don't want you!" She screamed with flushed, fiery cheeks. She was surprised that Lucius didn't slap her, but judging from the look on his face he desperately wanted to. He pushed open her jacket and slid her shirt up, his skilled fingers unbuttoning and pulling the zipper down on her pants. She panicked, tensing in the grasp of the Death Eaters.

Was he so desperate to have her that he would take her in front of these two brutes?

When he yanked down her snug jeans, Regan had her answer. She began to kick and scream, desperately wishing that they were closer to town so that somebody could hear her. Lucius wet his finger and nudged aside her panties, quickly pushing inside of her. Regan cried out, balling her fists and letting hot tears streak down her face. Lucius's face hardened as he muttered a curse under his breath barely loud enough for Regan to hear.

"He must have been quite charming to get you into bed." Lucius muttered with a bitter tone, pushing his finger in as deep as it was allowed. Regan continued to scream, her breathing inhibited by the sobs that were desperate to escape. Lucius pulled out his finger, wiping it off on the towel that he had discarded. With shocking care, he redressed her and slowly stood. "Take her to the woods." He muttered after a moment of silence.

Regan instantly began to struggle as she was hauled from the ground and practically dragged from the house. Her skin froze as she continuously pulled herself down to the ground in an effort to escape, but these men were far too strong for her. They walked her out with Lucius behind them, the box containing her dress tucked under his arm. His face was calm as Regan was tossed face first into a clearing.

"I can forgive you, but only because you were influenced by people who foolishly believed that they could help you. You were not meant to leave me...you were supposed to stay." Regan pushed herself up from the snow, her face and hands stinging from the cold.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" She asked in a low voice. "How can you want somebody so badly when that person hates you?"

"Because I can change you…I can give you a life that nobody else could give you. You will have everything that you could ever dream of."

"I won't have my parents…and I won't have Oskar." She added that last bit mostly because it was true, but also because she knew that it would royally piss off Lucius.

"It does not do well to dwell upon the dead."

"So you did kill him." She said quietly, her eyes flickering to the ground.

Had he done it here?

Or was his body in the ocean?

"He had to be punished," Lucius told her. Regan quickly shook her head.

"I went with him freely…"

"That is not the story that everybody will hear." He said slowly. "As far as the rest of the magical world is concerned, you were kidnapped and you were being abused by Oskar…he's public enemy number one."

"I would have thought he would have been much further down the list." She muttered, narrowing her eyes. That was a sharp hit below the belt and they both knew it. Lucius, despite his tremendous amount of power and control, had never been able to capture the few rebels that remained from the Great War. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were at the top of the most wanted list, but there wasn't a single lead to go on. The entirety of Dumbledore's Army had somehow managed to escape and nobody knew where they were. There was always that fear for the Death Eaters that they would rise up and take them down, but Lucius had always laughed at the notion.

He honestly believed that nobody could ever defeat him.

"He was an enemy of the empire and had to be dealt with." Lucius said, almost as if he were trying to convince himself and Regan.

"You killed an innocent man that did nothing wrong…of course, I'm sure that you're used to killing innocent people by now." Lucius smirked, making Regan stiffen.

"Nobody is innocent, you should know that." Regan narrowed her eyes as Lucius lightly chuckled to himself. "Don't worry, you'll feel much better and be much more pleasant once we get you home." Regan sighed, biting her lower lip. What was the point of fighting with him? He was always going to chase after her no matter what and the only way for him to stop was to just go with him. Death was also an option, but Regan couldn't die yet…not until she was sure that she was completely alone in the world.

With trembling knees, she slowly stood up and pulled her jacket tightly around her frail body. She had no choice; he would kill her if she said no to him.

"Just take me back." She whispered, tears once against springing to her eyes. Lucius put an arm around her, nearly covering her with his cloak as he pulled her close.

"Don't worry, you'll enjoy being my wife."

But Regan knew that that was a lie.


	18. Scowl

Chapter Eighteen: Scowl

The first few days that she was back, Lucius mostly left Regan alone. She had confined herself to her old room, finding that it had finally been painted blue and redecorated to something that was supposed to reflect Regan's style. She didn't care; all that mattered was that her bed was warm and she didn't have to get up. Astoria had visited her a few times, but they had little to say to each other. Regan felt guilty that she had let Oskar die and Astoria felt guilty that this whole thing had been her idea. They said nothing to each other, but Astoria stayed. It was nice to finally have some good company.

When Regan went to her first dinner with the entire family, she remained silent even when Lucius tried to engage her in conversation. She had shut herself off in the hopes that nobody would hurt her. After about a week of being back in the Manor, Lucius proposed that they have a small party.

"A welcome home party, would you like that?"

Regan had just shrugged. It didn't matter to her what he did…all she wanted to do was sleep. So he planned a party, inviting high powered members of the Ministry and their spouses. Regan got ready once again with Astoria, and like their many other meetings they hardly said a word. Regan was cinched into the dress that Lucius had given her. A strapless forest green gown, the bodice was heavily embroidered and beaded with flowers and sparkling leaves. It clung to her body and transitioned into a flowing skirt that quivered whenever she moved. There was a long slit that went all the way to the bottom of the bodice, exposing her entire pale leg. Her hair was braided and wrapped in a bun while her large eyes were accented with far too much makeup, at least in her opinion. Astoria wore a high necked black lace dress, quietly still mourning the death of her beloved cousin. They made quite the depressing pair when Draco and Lucius arrived to collect them. Lucius insisted that she wear the jewelry that he had gotten for her. A thick emerald pendant surrounded by diamonds was fastened around her neck while diamond tears hung from her ears. She resisted the urge to look in the mirror and just kept her eyes down, quietly wondering what Oskar would think if he saw her now.

The party was dull and filled with people that Regan didn't know. They all marveled at her dress, complimented her jewels, and envied her brilliant hair. They were disgustingly kind and it made Regan want to shrink away from their probing eyes. Lucius on the other hand was pleased to show her off to his many followers.

_Look at what I've got, look at how young she is, look at her supple body; it's all mine..._

Disgusting...

"Would you like something to drink?" Lucius asked as another couple departed from them after complimenting Lucius on his beautiful new woman. Regan shook her head, her eyes slowly scanning across the crowd. Lucius slowly leaned into her, tightly grasping her wrist. "You will have to speak to me eventually…and I am more than willing to use force to make you do what I want." He kissed her while giving her wrist one painful squeeze. Regan flinched, glaring up at him.

"I'm not thirsty," she told him with a stiff jaw. "I just want to go back to my room…I don't want to be here."

"You may leave…after I've made my announcement." Regan quirked an eyebrow, instantly put off by the smile on his face. He had another motive in throwing this party. It dawned upon Regan that he was going to possibly propose to her in front of his dozens of friends.

What was going to happen when she said no?

Was that even an option for her?

Regan glanced over at Astoria, who was surrounded by a group of posh women. These must have been her approved acquaintances that she had mentioned, all looking similar with their well fashioned hair and styled faces. Regan and Astoria locked eyes for a moment before Astoria quickly motioned for Regan to join them. Regan left Lucius's side, earning a stern call and a sharp glare, but she just kept on walking. When she went to Astoria, she took Regan's hand and they walked away to a somewhat quiet place. They stayed close to one another, Astoria's eyes scanning the crowd to make sure that nobody was coming near them.

"He's going to propose," Regan finally murmured, the dread rising in her stomach. Astoria gently shook her head, letting out a little sigh.

"No, he's going to announce your engagement…he's not giving you a chance to embarrass him." She told her. Regan should have expected that, but it was still difficult to hear. "Don't worry, we'll figure out something to do before the actual wedding."

"No," Regan said softly. "What's the point? If I run away, he'll just find me again."

She hated herself...she wanted to punish herself for being so weak...

"But you can't give up." Astoria insisted. "Draco and I will do something to get you out of here." She seemed desperate, as if she had no idea what to do to save Regan.

"I won't have anybody else putting themselves in danger." She said sternly. "Oskar gave his life for nothing…I don't want that to happen to you or Draco…or Scorpio, all right?" Astoria bleakly nodded, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"You won't be alone here," Astoria said after a moment to collect herself. "We're friends…and we're the only two that can ever understand each other."

Astoria had a good point. They had been placed in unusual yet similar circumstances. Nobody would ever understand them and could never sympathize with either of them.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Miss Westwood, would you care for a drink?"

Regan blinked, surprised to see a very cheerful Natalie standing in front of them with a silver tray balancing two flutes of champagne. There was something off about her smile Regan thought as she took the flute. She was gloating and proud, but what about?

"Mrs. Malfoy, young Master Malfoy has been asking for you." Astoria sighed, nodding towards Regan in a silent goodbye before she strode away. That left Regan with Natalie, though this wasn't the same Natalie that had greeted Regan when she had first come here. "Did you have fun in France, Miss Westwood?" There was something biting in her tone and it made Regan uncomfortable.

"You know that you can call me Regan, Natalie." She said slowly.

"I would prefer to keep things formal, Miss Westwood." Natalie took a step forward so that they were so close that they were almost touching. "I just think that you should know that you're not the only woman that's caught his eye."

So that's why she was gloating.

Without Regan here to harass, Lucius had moved on to Natalie. Or, perhaps they had been seeing each other for a long time and Regan coming into the manor had ruined Natalie's relationship with Lucius. Clearly, though, she was just a physical play thing; a fuck toy that Lucius has no intention of pursuing…and as she stepped back with a smile, it became apparent that she wasn't aware of that fact.

"You may be back, but no doubt he'll dismiss you as soon as he makes me his new personal servant."

"I hope that he does exactly that." Regan quickly said. Natalie scowled when she realized that there was no competition to be won here. But her smile quickly reappeared when Lucius strode over and placed a firm hand on Regan's hip and pulled her close.

"Come with me," he insisted, giving her hip a small squeeze. Regan set the champagne flute back on Natalie's silver tray before she went with him, trying to ignore the harsh glare from Natalie that was boring into her back. "You look stunning." He told her, his hand moving from her hip to her lower back. Regan kept her eyes away from his, fighting the urge to punch him in the crotch. "Try to smile when I make my announcement, we want to keep up appearances."

That was the last thing that Regan wanted to do, but her choices were currently limited. Pushing him too far would probably result in her death…of course, would death really be such a bad thing?

"This is your last chance to change your mind." She said, feeling his hand stiffen on her back.

"And why on earth would I do that?" He asked with a snide chuckle.

"Natalie wants you more than I do," she told him, earning a short snort from him.

"She is nothing to me."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be sleeping with her." Lucius quirked an eyebrow, trying to control himself.

"Who told you?"

"She did." Regan said with a small shrug. "I don't care who you fuck; better her than me, but it doesn't make sense to have two women."

She wanted him to dismiss her in favor of an easy conquest. Natalie was the same age as her and was far more willing to be the wife that Lucius wanted. But after a moment to consider his options, he smiled and once again pulled Regan close.

"There is no challenge with Natalie. I have always favored a good fight…and you are a good fight, Regan." His finger traced along her jaw, making her quickly jerk away from his touch. "I'll have her dismissed, don't worry."

Regan quickly opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't say anything before Lucius raised his hand to call attention to himself.

"Friends, thank you all for coming on such short notice. I am pleased to welcome you into my home, but I am even more pleased to say what I have to say. As you are all well aware, this beautiful woman beside me was only recently been put through a traumatic event. I cannot express how sad I was to see her gone and I will admit that when she returned, I was overcome with joy and begged for her to marry me. She of course said yes, but I'm afraid that I didn't have a proper ring to present her with. Well, I intend to remedy that."

Lucius pulled a deep blue velvet box from his pants pocket, presenting it to Regan on his flat palm. He carefully pulled back the lid with an expectant smile. Those close to them gasped at the dazzling piece of jewelry, whispering and passing the word back that Lucius was presenting his future wife with an emerald rock. But Regan, the one that was supposed to look the most impressed, just stared at Lucius with a straight face. After a moment of eager silence, Lucius finally removed the right from the box and took Regan's left hand.

"She's been stunned into silence!" Lucius exclaimed with a hearty laugh. The room seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief, joining Lucius in his laughter. Once the ring settled on her small finger, Regan could only stare. It was overly large and was only in existence to prove Lucius's wealth. It was an emerald cut emerald, surrounded by glittering diamonds, all resting in a setting of white gold. When Regan looked up, Lucius bent down to kiss her, catching her off guard. Out of instinct, Regan closed her eyes, but she didn't return his eager affections. The guests applauded and Regan flinched slightly when Lucius pulled back. Her head was pounding and her vision was starting to blur. She stumbled into Lucius, resting her forehead against his shoulder as he gripped her small body.

"Is she all right?" Astoria was beside her in a moment, brushing back her hair to see Regan's suddenly pale face.

"She's fine," Lucius insisted. "She simply became overwhelmed by all the excitement." His words were loud enough for everybody to hear and be relieved. Lucius looked up to Draco as he leaned down to get a better look at her face.

"She's been poisoned." Draco suddenly said, but only loud enough for Astoria and his father to hear.

"Help me get her upstairs," Lucius demanded as he picked Regan up bridal style and rushed for the stairs. Draco made some excuse about her fainting before going with his father and Astoria to Regan's room. Lucius placed her carefully in her bed, staring down at her with narrowed eyes. "Call a potions master, tell him it's urgent. Astoria, change her into a nightgown and sit with her, I need to go back to the party." Draco and Lucius rushed from the room, leaving Astoria alone with the unconscious Regan. She first removed her jewelry, including the gaudy engagement ring that Lucius had given her. When she removed the ring, she saw that Regan's left hand had red splotches across her palm and fingers. She studied her hand for a moment, not sure what to make of these markings. She pushed it from her mind for now and changed Regan out of her gown and into a pair of Capri pajama pants and a simple black v-neck tee shirt. She pulled the pins from her hair, combing it with her fingers before braiding it and resting the hair against her side. Her hair was brighter than usual because her skin was so ghostly pale. Her breathing was shallow and she had begun to perspire greatly, staining the neck of her shirt. No doubt she already had a fever; what could have done this to her?

"Astoria?" Regan reached out and Astoria quickly took her hand, feeling how cold her skin was.

"I'm right here; don't worry, you're going to be all right." She murmured softly. Regan slowly shook her head.

"No…please…I don't want help."

"But you might die!"

"I want to die," Regan softly murmured, her face relaxing at the thought. "I want to be with my parents…and I want to see Oskar again."

"Oh Regan…I can't do that…you have to live." Astoria insisted, her lower lip trembling.

"But why?" She was like a small child who had just been told that she couldn't have a cute puppy.

"Because…you're young…and I don't want to be left alone again." Regan furrowed her brow together as if she was about to cry.

"I don't want him to own me." She muttered. It was like a line from some Greek tragedy. Astoria briefly wondered if Regan could ever be saved; both from the poison and from Lucius.

"He will never own you." Astoria assured her, despite the doubt that she felt. "He will only own you when you let him own you. You have to live…do you want the newspapers to report you as the dead woman who loved Lucius Malfoy?" Regan slowly shook her head, her face contorted in disgust.

"I have to get out of this place." She whispered before she passed out again. Astoria stiffened as she heard quick footsteps coming towards the room, pursing her lips together as hot, angry tears streaked down her face.

Regan would leave this place…one day, they would all leave this place…

...

A/N: So I'm in rehearsals for Sweeney Todd; my schedule sucks, but I'm quite pleased to present another chapter.

RashaTemple and hannahhobknob: Yes, it's very sad, but Oskar had to go.

Dragoon Dave: Oh you are twisted lol. The ball is rolling; try and keep up.


	19. Strike

Chapter Nineteen: Strike

Regan toppled into the waking world in a gray haze, her eyes refusing to open under the dull sunlight. Her entire body was stiff and there was a dull, throbbing pain in her lower abdomen. She couldn't remember anything after Lucius had given her the ring, which annoyed her greatly.

What had happened?

"Regan? Do you need anything?" She finally forced herself to open her eyes and was greeted by Astoria's clean, concerned face. She had pulled her hair back in a ponytail and wore dark jeans and a pale pink scoop neck sweater. Regan had never seen her wear jeans before; it was always khakis or a skirt.

It was a nice change.

"It's January 13th, do you know where you are?"

Well of course she knew where she was, but was it really January 13th? Had she really been asleep for four days?

"The last thing I remember was the party," she murmured, slowly pushing herself up to lean against the headboard. She flinched, feeling her head pulse and a low pain settle in her lower abdomen. "What happened to me?"

"You were poisoned by Natalie. She had put a coating on your champagne glass and you absorbed it through your fingers." Regan sighed, staring down at her hands. "Apparently she had been having a sexual relationship with Lucius and she couldn't stand that you had come back and Lucius was intending to marry you."

"I know, she told me." She said as she closed her eyes, hoping that it would ease the pain in her head.

It didn't.

"She's been taken into custody, Lucius is pushing for execution." Astoria meekly told her. Instantly, Regan's eyes popped back open.

"They shouldn't kill her…not unless they know the whole truth about why she did it."

"She's been telling them the same story, but Lucius has been telling them something different…basically it's her word against his and nobody will believe her." Regan slowly shook her head. It wasn't fair, but she wasn't going to stand up and defend somebody that had poisoned her in an attempt to kill her. "Regan…I need to ask you something a bit personal." Regan nodded, put off by how nervous Astoria appeared. "Were you ever…intimate with Oskar?" Regan nodded. "Often?" Regan thought for a moment before nodding again. "Did he use...protection?" Regan had to think again. They had just never thought about using any form of protection. Regan wasn't even sure where you would buy any in their French hideaway.

"Not that I can recall." She answered honestly. Astoria shifted in her chair, the conversation making her uncomfortable.

"And…were you aware that you were pregnant?" The question made Regan's entire body go cold.

"Why do you say 'were'?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Astoria frowned, the words seemingly stuck in her throat.

"When the doctor came, he found that you were pregnant, at least four weeks." She said, her voice quivering as if she were about to cry. "When he told Lucius, I thought that he was going to kill you. He was so absolutely enraged and nearly tore apart the room, but…he calmed down and told the doctor to…get rid of it."

Tears spilled down Astoria's cheeks as she began to cry, but Regan felt no sorrow. She was sure that it would hit her later, but right now all she could acknowledge was her rage. Astoria kept apologizing and insisting that she begged Lucius not to do it, but Regan didn't want to hear any of it. If anybody should be apologizing, it should be Lucius.

Regan pushed back her blankets, forcing herself to stand despite the great protest of her body. She almost toppled to the ground the moment that she stood, but she caught herself on the post of her bed and propelled herself forward on numb feet. Astoria tried to get her to go back to bed, but Regan strode from her bedroom and marched in her capri pajama pants and her v-neck shirt down to Lucius's office. She could hear him speaking with Draco, something about the trouble they were still having with Sweden. When she heard him chuckle, she felt like fire would burst from her eyes. She hastily pushed the door open, her eyes instantly landing on a cool yet confused Lucius.

"What on earth are you doing out of bed? Astoria, take her back to her room and-." Regan slapped him as hard as she could, feeling her hand sting with excitement.

"You had no right," she said after a moment to collect herself.

"You would have kept the bastard?" He asked in a low tone, reaching up to gingerly touch his cheek where a red mark was now proudly displayed.

"It doesn't matter; it was not your choice to make!" She screamed at him, her face bright red and her eyes narrowed out of rage.

"I'm protecting you from rumors."

"I don't care what other people think of me, I'm not you!" She wanted to slap him again even harder.

"You will be my wife and people will judge you more than they do me. You will be a reflection of myself; do not ruin my image!" Regan balled her fists, the urge to strike him driving her to the brink of insanity.

"I wish that I could." She said through a clenched jaw. "I wish that people could see you the way that I see you; the way that we all see you." Lucius slowly chuckled, shaking his head.

"Nobody will ever listen to you." He muttered.

"People listened to Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore!"

That was the absolute wrong thing to say. Lucius knocked her down with a hard shove and let out an angry cry. The pain exploded through her hips and she gasped for breath, her whole body trembling from the pain.

"And look at where they are now! Dead and forever labeled as failures!" Regan slowly pushed herself, her arms shaking under her weight.

"Failures to you, but martyrs to the rest of us." She defiantly glared up at him, silently daring him to strike her again. "You may have killed the people, but you didn't kill the spirit. New generations will emerge and they will question you and keep fighting until you're overthrown and dead in an unmarked grave. You will be remembered as a dark evil that plagued this country and nobody will mourn your death when you're gone!"

Lucius was tense, as if he wanted to strike her, but was holding himself back. He looked absolutely enraged, but Regan didn't care. She had been waiting for a very long time to say that to him.

"Take her to her room and make sure she does not leave…I will deal with her later." Astoria helped Regan to her feet, smoothing back her hair as she helped her from the room. Regan was scowling, kicking the door aside and shooting one final chilling glare at Lucius. She wished more than anything that she had had her wand with her. She would have cursed him to walk the earth as a roach…and then she would have squashed his body and left him on the bottom of her shoe.

When Astoria helped her back into bed, she offered her a silent smile. Both knew that Regan had made a bold move, but it was something that needed to happen.

"I'll have Mrs. Harvey bring dinner up for you and a couple of books, will you be all right? I can bring Scorpio upstairs so that we can sit together."

"I would like that," Regan quietly answered. Astoria nodded, smiling at her once more before she disappeared from the room. Regan waited patiently, settling down on her bed and feeling extreme anger pick at her stomach. She waited and waited and waited, but there was no sign of Mrs. Harvey or Astoria. Regan was actually beginning to worry, but calmed when she heard footsteps.

Unfortunately, it was not who she expected.

There was Lucius, carrying a tray with her dinner on it…and bridal magazines. He set the tray across her lap, offering her a small smile.

"I thought that I'd come and sit with you for a while," he said as he claimed the chair that had belonged to Astoria. They stared at each other for a moment, Regan refusing to touch the food or the damn bridal magazines. She couldn't believe that he actually had the audacity to bring those, but she really shouldn't be surprised. With a small grunt, Regan flipped the tray from her lap and waited for the satisfactory crash, but it never came. The entirety of her tray was frozen in mid air, controlled by Lucius. In reverse, the contents of her tray fell back onto her lap and seemed to press down into her body. Lucius sighed, sitting down beside her. "You are mad at me."

"I can't imagine somebody being happy after they were pushed to the ground…" She didn't want to mention the baby. That would come up later…and she would make him suffer for what he had done to her.

"Well I'm none too happy with you either." He said sternly. "I am trying to take care of you and I am trying to be a kind future husband, but you're proving to be extremely difficult." Regan sighed, shutting her eyes for a moment to calm herself.

"I do not want to be your wife…I just want to leave…"

"I've already made the announcement, there's no backing down now." Regan's eyes snapped open.

"I don't care. Sacrifice your pride and let me go."

"I can't…I like you too much." Before Regan could argue with him, he let out an exasperated sigh and slumped over in his chair. "You remind me so much of Narcissa…and I didn't realize that I would miss her so much." She involuntarily moved away from him, her brow furrowed together.

"Then you should go after her." Regan insisted. "You found me, so I'm sure that you could find her."

"Don't you think that I've tried?" He asked bitterly. "She has completely disappeared…I've still got men searching through Asia, but they've turned up nothing."

"Then maybe you were meant to be alone." Regan bit out, her stomach crying out as she got a good whiff of the food in front of her.

"Perhaps…" He admitted. "But I do not want to be alone." Lucius shifted uncomfortably in his chair, awkwardly clearing his throat. "I want to explain myself...but you cannot repeat to anyone what I am about to tell you…understood?" Regan nodded, slightly put off by how calm he was. "When I was much younger, a student at Hogwarts, I had a friend that was completely smitten with this girl. I was dating Narcissa when he first told me, so I never told him to his face, but I thought that she was one of the most beautiful girls that I had ever seen. I wanted her…we both wanted her so badly, but she went with a different group and dated another boy. The reason why you intrigue me so much is because you could pass as her sister…well, more like her daughter now, but still. Your hair is the exact same color and you have her skin…when I saw you, I thought for a moment that she had come back to life."

"Did you kill her?" Regan asked, the question coming out harsh.

"No…but my Master did." That wasn't too surprising for Regan to hear. Still, she felt sick about Lucius comparing her to some dead woman that he had lusted after.

"What was her name?" Regan asked, watching as Lucius's eyes became dreamy and glassy.

"Lily Evans…she was Harry Potter's mother…"

...

A/N: I'm currently sick, so my thoughts are a little cloudy right now...I hope my editing was fair on this, but if not just let me know and I'll come back and fix it. Sweeney opens in five days; I will be resting a lot.

Dragoon Dave: I would argue that you are very twisted, but that's to be done in private ;) I hope this answered some of your questions...and I hope that it raised many more! *cue evil laugh*


	20. Sink

Chapter Twenty: Sink

Lucius stayed all night, weaving a great and epic story for Regan. He told her a story that she was almost sure that nobody else in the entire world had ever heard, perhaps not even his wife. He had married Narcissa shortly after he had graduated from Hogwarts, but he was never able to completely forget about Lily. He didn't love her, he made that quite clear, but he was infatuated with her. He had never stopped fantasizing about her lithe body and glorious red hair, not even after she had been killed. Regan had been an answer to his prayers, so of course he couldn't let her go. It chilled Regan, but she had been put off by his sincerity. He sat there and made her eat what he had brought her, remaining until the next morning when Mrs. Harvey arrived with breakfast. She quickly removed the other tray, leaving them alone once more.

Lucius didn't stay much longer after that. He made sure that she ate her breakfast before bidding her goodbye and slowly walking from the room. As she watched him, it suddenly struck her how old and frail he was. In a moment of weakness, she actually felt sorry for him.

Although, to be honest, the pity didn't last long.

Astoria arrived soon afterwards bringing Scorpio and more bridal magazines. Regan frowned at the prospect, but Astoria just shrugged her shoulders.

"At least you get to pick out whatever you want." She remarked. Regan took Scorpio while Astoria turned to several dresses that she thought would look very nice on Regan. She agreed on the first thing that Astoria showed her and the day progressed virtually in the same manner. Astoria chose almost everything with Regan's "approval". By dinner time, they had completely planned the wedding, much to Lucius's delight. It was going to be a far less lavish wedding than Draco and Astoria's, but that didn't seem to bother anybody. The wedding date was set and Regan was finding it more and more difficult to find a chance to escape. Once she was officially married to Lucius, he would have total access to her and there would be few moments of privacy for her. And they would have to share a bed…oh God, please let him get drunk every night so that he would just pass out and forget that he had a dick.

"Do you have any family that you want to invite?" Regan suddenly perked up, her eyes settling on a very focused Astoria. She had finally been given the go-ahead to get out of bed by the doctor and her days were filled with sitting with Astoria and making wedding plans.

"Not that I know of." She said. Astoria's face softened, her eyes going back down to the guest list and accompanying seating chart.

"Well, I can put my family there…and Draco's friends can sit there as well. Have you given any thought as to who you'd like to give you away? I was thinking Draco. I've already asked him and he said that he wouldn't mind if you had nobody else to do it."

"I can go alone." Regan said, looking away again and becoming distracted by the flickering sunlight filtering in through the windows.

"You know, I think that Draco would really like to." Astoria said with a small smile. She was trying to keep Regan from looking like the most pathetic thing on the planet. At least with Draco and Astoria, she wouldn't be completely alone.

"Well, if he's got his heart set on it…"

And the matter was settled. Astoria was going to be her only bridesmaid, Draco would give her away, and she would marry Lucius; it was a family affair.

"I have something for you." Astoria suddenly whispered, packing up her papers and pushing them aside. Regan quirked an eyebrow when Astoria presented her with an expensive looking bottle of French perfume.

"I told you that you didn't need to buy me anything." Regan said, but Astoria quickly shook her head.

"No, no, not a present…put two dabs behind your ears every week, it will keep you from getting pregnant." Regan's eyes widened as she slowly took the bottle into her hands.

"How did you-?"

"It's from Draco," Astoria quickly explained. "He thought that you would find it useful." Regan nodded, closely examining the bottle. "He and I both agree that Lucius should not be having any more children…and we have both agreed that the less you can attach yourself from Lucius, the better." Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"I thought that you two weren't going to try and get me out of here again."

"This time, it's not about you." Astoria whispered, leaning forward. "There is a plot to end this all…Draco and I are helping, but there will come a time when you will also be needed…will you help us?"

"You have to tell me more." Regan insisted, though she was going to agree to help regardless of the plan.

"I can't give you specifics, but I can tell you that this has taken almost ten years of waiting and we intend to strike soon."

"I'll do whatever you need me to do." Regan said before Astoria could say another word.

"Good, I'll let them know." While the curiosity was driving Regan up the wall, she was willing to take a chance and trust whoever Astoria was talking about. "But they can't stop the sex that Lucius expects from you, you know that, right?" Regan nodded.

"I'm willing, but not too long."

"Don't worry, everything will work out just fine." Regan nodded, actually feeling some relief as she stared down at the fancy bottle.

"If you had this plan…then why did you send me away with Oskar?"

"We had never planned on Lucius becoming interested in a girl. Oskar was a plan put together at the last moment…but now that we know that we can trust you, you will play a bigger role in the end…but with that role comes death, and this is something that you must be prepared for." Regan nodded once more.

"I understand, and I am prepared to make that sacrifice." She said evenly, making Astoria smile.

"Good…I knew that I could trust you. I'll make arrangements for you to go to them and speak with them. They're eager to meet you." Regan also smiled, letting eagerness grip her heart.

"I'm looking forward to it."

…

The wedding plans were progressing as well as could be expected. Planning an event at the Manor proved to be easy since there was a built in staff ready to serve. They were wary of Regan, though, now that Natalie was gone. She had been quickly convicted of attempted murder and the misuse of potions. While she would no doubt spend a huge chunk of her life in Azkaban, her death would not be determined by Lucius, which Regan was pleased about. Natalie was no longer right in the head; Lucius had caused her to lose her mind and become driven to kill out of her need for him. She didn't deserve to die because of her lack of mental competency.

Two weeks before the wedding, when things were set and ready, Astoria informed Lucius that she would be traveling with Regan to Paris for her hen's night. Regan knew that this was the moment that she would leave for whoever was planning this and she was very excited to go. Lucius was hesitant to let Regan go considering what had happened last time she was out of his sight, but he seemed reassured when Astoria promised to hire two bodyguards that would be with them at all times. So they packed for a glamorous week in Paris, but there was another suitcase that was not packed with beautiful designer clothing, but things that seemed far more practical. Astoria had her pack sweaters, jeans, and thick wool socks. She packed her boots as well, lingering on them for just a moment before tucking them in the bottom. She was so glad that she still had them; if Lucius had known that they were from Oskar, he would have burned them.

The morning the left for the PTH, or the porkey transportation hall, Lucius had hugged her, but surprisingly he did not try to kiss her. He just embraced her before she and Astoria got in the car. The PTH was located at the Ministry, so when the pair arrived they were taken there straight away. People parted as they passed, staring out of awe and curiosity. While it was always thrilling to catch a glimpse of Astoria, they were even more eager to see Lucius Malfoy's future wife. Regan detested the attention, but she stayed close to Astoria with her eyes looking straight ahead. They were greeted by the conductor of the PTH, a tall skinny man with a broad smile. She was put off by how happy he appeared, but Regan kept cool as Astoria curtly nodded to him.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Ms. Westwood, we are all so pleased and honored to have you here today."

"Thank you for being so kind in accomidating us today." Astoria replied with a forced smile as she shook his hand.

"It is our pleasure, especially if this is for Minister Malfoy and his lovely future bride." Astoria nodded, glancing to Regan before looking back at the man.

"Would you please take us to our porkey, Mr…?"

"Wickersham, William Wickersham." He stepped aside, opening the rather large door. "Right this way ladies."

PTH was an interesting and fairly recent invention of Lucius's own mind. Very wide, partitionaed areas stood under dull green lights, each one managed by a single attendant that was dressed in a dark green suit. Each area contained some random item that was sitting beneath a glass dome. With a small spell, the attendant was able to change the location to wherever the person wanted to go. The room had been cleared for them with every attendant standing at attention as if they were waiting for their approval.

"Our porkey attendants are specifically trained to handle our porkeys. I assure you, ladies, that you are in perfectly capable hands and will arrive without a problem."

Regan remembered when they had first started up how people had been popping up missing arms and legs. It had something to do with the constantly changing locations that the object had been forced to take on. The majority of their body would arrive at their destination, but their arm would drop in some random location. It had caused quite the scandal.

"I'm sure that it's perfectly safe." Astoria said with a small nod. "Will you please show us to our porkey? We are rather eager to begin our vacation."

Wickersham took them to a neatly cleaned station where a middle aged woman was standing there waiting for them. She smiled at them brightly, her red lipstick appearing purple under the green lights.

"This is Aimee, she'll be assisting you today."

"Pleased to meet you." She said, shaking their hands. "And congratulations on your engagement, Ms. Westwood." Regan quirked an eyebrow when the woman's smile seemed to falter.

Was she jealous?

"Is this our porkey?" Astoria asked after she noticed the woman's expression. Aimee seemed to pop back and eagerly nodded.

"Yes ma'am, would you care to go first?"

"No, Regan can go first." She said, smiling at Regan. Good idea, keep her far away from Aimee. She stepped forward, watching Aimee lift up the glass dome to reveal a silver cup. Regan let out a shaky sigh, her body tight as she grasped the cup. If she had blinked, she would have missed her trip. She suddenly found herself standing in a beautiful hotel room with two large plush beds. Their luggage was already there and Regan took a moment to adjust. The last time she had been in Paris, she had been with Oskar. She momentarily wondered, as she walked out to the balcony to take in the view, what had happened to Oskar's apartment.

Had Lucius gutted it or had his family been allowed to go through it carefully and pack his things? What would his family say to her when they came to the wedding? Would they hate her, or would they know the truth and allow her to quietly mourn with them?

"Too bad you won't be able to stay." Astoria said as she joined Regan on the balcony. She must have arrived when Regan wasn't looking. "But don't worry, I'll buy you lots of clothing so that it looks like we went shopping." Regan quirked an eyebrow as a soft breeze blew past them.

"How are you going to do this?"

The knock on their door was Regan's answer. Astoria smirked, walking to the door and opening it to reveal what appeared to be a female hotel employee pushing a cart. It was a woman not much older than Regan and she was quickly shown into the room only to have the door locked behind her. The woman smiled at Regan with a whimsical look in her big blue eyes.

"Regan, I'd like to introduce you to Luna Lovegood, she will be pretending to be you for the next week." They shook hands, Regan instantly seeing why they had chosen Luna. They were the same height and had similar figures.

"Polyjuice?" Regan asked, only to receive a nod from Luna.

"We are very pleased that you agreed to help." She said, her voice just as dreamy as her eyes.

"I suppose you will need some of my hair." Regan muttered, but she found that the pair were one step ahead of her. Luna reached under the linen tablecloth and pulled out a case containing twenty small viles that held already mixed polyjuice potion. Astoria was careful about cutting her hair, placing the trimmings in a small plastic bag.

"Luna has already read all that she needs to know about you; this should go off without a hitch." Astoria told her with a bright smile. She reached under the car once again and pulled out Regan's other suitcase. "Put on a sweater, jeans, thick socks, and your boots. It's still snowy where you're going."

Regan did as she was told, retreating to the gorgeous marble bathroom with clothing in hand. She changed quietly, also braiding her hair over her shoulder and wiping off some of her makeup. When she emerged, Astoria and Luna were sitting on their respective beds. They smiled at Regan, but she could see the worried doubt in their eyes. They didn't know if this was going to work, but they were equally hopeful that Regan would be able to help them.

"When you get there, somebody will be there waiting for you. Don't be overly aggressive; just do as they say and wait for them to properly identify you." Luna instructed as she lifted the silver dome to reveal what Regan assumed to be her porkey. It was a worn textbook, an introduction to potions.

"You've got your wand?" Astoria asked nervously. Regan nodded, pulling up her sleeve to reveal her wand strapped to her forearm. "All right then…you should go, they're waiting for you." Astoria slowly got up and hugged Regan tightly for a long time. "Be safe…and don't leave them, whatever you do." Regan nodded, giving Astoria some sort of reassurance so that she could let her go.

"I'll be okay, don't worry…I'll see you in a week." Astoria smiled, stepping away while Luna waved innocently. Regan sighed, picking up her suitcase before picking up the worn book.

If she had blinked, she would have missed her journey…

...

A/N: Opening night for Sweeney Todd went very well, because I'm sure that you're all very curious :)

RashaTemple: Thank you :) I know, Lucius is quite the irritant in this story...

Dragoon Dave: lol well you are a genius, so of course you called it. Hope you like how I resolved the whole Lily thing; I'm pretty sure I'm not stepping on anybody's toes by doing this. All right, bring on the argument: why are you not twisted?


	21. Scared

Chapter Twenty-One: Scared

Regan landed with a dull thud, her knees shaking as the text book and her suitcase dropped from her hands. She glanced around with wide eyes, her feet seemingly stuck in the snow. Her teeth instantly began to chatter and she mentally cursed for not having worn a warmer jacket. They had dumped her in a heavily wooded area, the ground covered in a thick blanket of snow. She was reminded of the forests in England, but she knew that she had to be far away from her native land. They wouldn't be so stupid to put their headquarters so close to their enemy.

"Put up your hands; don't make a sound." Regan instantly stiffened, feeling a large presence behind her. She did as she was told, moving slowly and making sure not to make a sound. As soon as her hands were up high, she was searched and her wand removed from her person. "Regan Westwood?" She nodded, her jaw clenched from the tension. "Oh good, you're a bit early. Sorry about the search; it's just a precaution that we have to take. Here, you can have your wand back." Regan turned to retrieve her wand, but instantly stilled when she saw who was returning it to her.

"Oh my God…" The man, who had encountered this reaction before and had come to expect it, just nodded with a smirk. Despite the gray weather, his hair was still very, very red.

"Ron Weasley, very pleased to meet you." He stuck out his hand to shake, but Regan could only stare. She never could have imagined that she would be standing in front of Ron Weasley. It was the most hopeful thing that she had seen in years.

"I didn't think that you were still alive," Regan quietly admitted as she took her wand and shook his hand.

"Neither did I honestly." He said with a grin. He turned to the thick forest, calling out 'Weasley is our King' before looking back at Regan. When he saw that she was confused, he just shrugged his shoulders with a small chuckle. "It's a long story."

Slowly, others began to emerge from the woods, all with their wands at the ready. Regan didn't recognize any of them, but noted that they were all wearing similar, bulky sweaters.

"Everybody, this is Regan, Astoria and Draco sent her." They all nodded and smiled in greeting, which Regan quickly returned. "Come on, let's get you back to camp, everybody's waiting to meet you."

Tucking her wand away into her sleeve, Regan followed after Ron with his entire group surrounding her. It was like they were protecting her from some unseen source, and that strangely bothered her. She had her wand; she could take care of herself.

"We were surprised when Lucius became so interested in you," Ron said. Down to business; Regan liked it. "That's why Astoria sent you away with Oskar without consulting us. She was desperate and his death was a mistake…I'm so sorry you had to be there." Regan shook her head.

"I wasn't there when he died…I don't even know where they put him."

"He was 'found' last week at his apartment in Paris. The official statement is that he killed himself out of fear of being prosecuted for your kidnapping." Regan's face hardened as she walked, her body radiating frustration.

"That never happened…"

"We know; Astoria's told us everything and we've modified our plan to include you…honestly, you showing up couldn't have come at a better time." Regan inwardly beamed, relishing at the fact that she was proving to be useful.

"What will I do?" Regan had a whimsical hope that she would get the chance to kill Lucius. It would be oh so sweet, but she understood that there were many others that were waiting to kill Lucius.

"Just be his wife…that will involve some effort since I've heard that you can't stand him." Regan nodded. "You're going to have to earn his trust totally and completely; can you do that?" Regan nodded, convincing Ron with pure determination written across his face.

"I'll do whatever you need me to do."

They came upon a snow logged building. It looked like some abandoned logging shack, but Regan could see that it was so much more. This was their headquarters and it was surprisingly well hidden.

"Where are we?" Regan suddenly asked as Ron opened the door for her.

"Canada, specifically Vancouver B.C." Regan glanced back at him, clearly questioning why they had chosen this location. "Nobody ever suspects Canada." Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"How long have you been here?" She asked as Ron opened a hatch through the floor and helped her down into what could only be described as a war room. It was dim with low hanging lights and packed dirt walls and floors. There were rugs placed all over the place and moving portraits hanging on the wall as if to try to create a homey atmosphere, but it did not seem to be working. There were rough tables and chairs spread around the room, some occupied by people either eating or just talking.

"Too long," he muttered, trying to smile through his obvious bitterness. "Everyone, can I have your attention?" Actions stopped and people looked up to watch Ron. "Everybody, this is Regan, she was sent by Astoria and Draco…she's Lucius Malfoy's fiancée."

The air was suddenly thick and Regan tensed under their critical looks.

They had been informed that she hated him too, right?

"She'll be the one to get use close to Malfoy, so she needs to be briefed on what's going to happen."

"I'll do it." A tall woman stepped from the crowd, smiling warmly at Regan. Even though she only wore jeans and a sweater, she looked so regal with her hair pinned up in a soft bun and pearls hanging from her ears. Her face was so pale and beautiful…and very familiar.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, but she quickly nodded.

"Of course, who could help her more than me?" She asked with a small laugh. Regan peered at her curiously, the back of her mind nagging and insisting that she had seen this woman before.

"Take her to the back, then." Ron said, giving Regan a small pat on the shoulder. "You can trust Narcissa, she's the one that gathered us all together in the first place." Regan's eyes widened in shock as Narcissa gently took her hand.

"Come on, let's get you some tea." Regan weakly nodded as she was lead away, eyes still looking her over. She was almost certain that they were memorizing every detail about her, just in case.

"Narcissa, take Charlie with you to watch her." Ron suddenly called out, making Regan grimace. She understood that they had to be careful, but did she really look so threatening?

A tall man suddenly came to walk beside Regan, earning a curious glance. He looked a great deal like Ron, but his face was much slimmer and his hair was much shorter. He towered over Regan, but she had trouble focusing solely on his face. Emerging from the stretched neck of his pale sweater was a horrendous burn mark that almost consumed his neck. It was a recent burn, probably in the last few years. She knew that it must have been from the final battle, or perhaps the ensuing small rebellions that had consumed the countryside. Regan knew that the burn scar was much larger, but she couldn't see it because of his sweater. She couldn't imagine what had happened to him to give him that scar, but she didn't dare ask. He looked so firm and focused, the expression on his face telling Regan that he was determined to complete whatever task was at hand.

Narcissa led them down a long corridor, dark green doors spaced out with low hanging lights barely lighting the way. Narcissa opened a door and showed Regan in, smiling at her as she walked inside and found that the room resembled something that would have been found in Regan's grandmother's house. The furniture was heavily worn down and there were lace doilies on tables and across the backs of couches and chairs. Regan sat down and Charlie sat across from her while Narcissa prepared tea for them. Regan and Charlie stared at one another, both clearly on edge.

"Charlie, make polite conversation." Narcissa insisted. "Regan, how do you take your tea?"

"Milk, two lumps." Regan quickly answered.

"And you take your tea black, right Charlie?"

"Yes." Charlie ground out, his eyes focused on Regan. Regan stared right back at him, half expecting him to say something to her. But he just continued to stare as Narcissa served them tea and sat beside Regan.

"Charlie, please try not to scare the poor girl."

"I'm not scared." Regan insisted with her eyes locked on Charlie as she took a slow sip of her tea. Surprisingly, Charlie actually cracked a smile and took his eyes away from Regan.

"You're very brave to come here," Narcissa told her. "And I know his is a unique situation, but I am so glad that you're here." Regan gently set down her tea cup.

"I will do whatever I can to help you all." Narcissa nodded with a small chuckle.

"We know dear, there's no need to continue to repeat yourself." She told her. "How are Draco and Astoria?"

"Draco is well, but we never really speak so I can't say for sure. Astoria is still upset about Oskar's death, but I think she's distracted by the wedding plans." Narcissa nodded.

"Poor Oskar, he seemed like such a kind man."

"He was," Regan quickly said as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She was tempted to tell Narcissa about the child that Oskar had given her and how Lucius had so cruelly purged it from her body, but she figured that it would just be too much for Narcissa to know.

"Yes, Astoria mentioned that you two had grown quite close. I'm so sorry that things happened the way that they did." She said. "Honestly, I'm not really surprised that Lucius is so set on marrying you…you look so much like her." Regan didn't need to ask who because she knew exactly who Narcissa was talking about. Lily Evans, mother of Harry Potter, had always held Lucius's eye and he chased Regan so avidly because apparently she looked so much like the woman. He was driven by lust and the desire of something that he had never been able to have.

"So you know about her?" Regan asked. Narcissa shrugged.

"He never told me, but during school he did little to hide his desire for her…I'm sure that if she would have offered him the smallest glance, he would have done anything to be with her…and things would be much different."

"Things are the way they are, no point in wishing for something different." Charlie commented. His voice was deep and very masculine, reminding Regan briefly of Oskar. She liked his voice, even if it was so deep and slightly fearful.

"Regan, would you like anything to eat before we start? This may take a while." Regan shook her head, perking up and forcing herself to pay attention to every word she said. "Good, we have much to discuss."

...

A/N: I have a feeling that people are going to enjoy this chapter; I missed you, you bloody brilliant red head you :)

GhostWriter84: I'm surprised that Lucius is your favorite, but I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. Please keep reading :)

Dragoon Dave: Oh dear Lord...you and your long paragraphs :P Lucius doesn't really see Regan as a person; he sees her as a possession to be had. Don't be bummed about Lily; I don't really think it comes up again...and I'm too tired to argue with you right now, so you win, huzzah.


	22. Simple

Chapter Twenty Two: Simple

They talked for hours, weaving between business and their personal lives. Regan learned a lot about Narcissa and was surprised to hear that she still cared greatly for Lucius. She made it clear, though, that she did not approve of what Lucius was doing. She had left at the first opportunity that she had gotten, but greatly missed her son and grandson. Regan momentarily wished that she had brought pictures, but how could she have known that Narcissa would be orchestrating this whole plan?

Speaking of the plan…

The plan was fairly simple, but it wouldn't be possible without Regan. She would have to play the part of the dutiful wife and had to earn Lucius's trust. At a large party or concert, Regan would trade places with somebody who looked like her with the help of the polyjuice potion. With everybody in attendance, they would kill Lucius and catch his death eaters off guard. It would be the start of a great revolution that nobody was expecting.

Regan was looking forward to it.

After their long talk, Narcissa took her back out into the main room where all the tables had been pushed together and set for dinner. Regan sat next to Narcissa with Charlie once again across from them. People were still wary of her, she could feel it, but they kept their mouths shut and their comments to themselves. Regan couldn't deny that as she sat there, she was a bit awe struck by her dining companions. Hermione Granger sat beside Ron with an extremely short haircut, but she looked truly stunning. The entire Weasley family had survived and was there, save for Fred. Neville Longbottom, with a patch over his right eye, sat with Oliver Wood and Dean Thomas and Regan could only stare. She felt conflicted. These people were supposed to be epic heroes and warriors, but they all seemed so…human.

Regan found it difficult to eat. She felt so out of place with these people. Yes, she had fought and had been there on the last day, but she had never been part of their inner circle. And it occurred to her, as she sat there quietly, that they would never completely accept her in their group.

"It's Regan, right?" Regan suddenly looked up. Oh God, Hermione Granger was trying to start a conversation with her.

"Yes…" She said, her voice coming off overly suspicious. Hermione smiled brightly, her face seeming to come to life under the dim lights.

"You could pass for a Weasley with that bright hair." She commented, bringing on a small titter of laughter as attention became focused on Regan.

"I get it from my father, but I'm not sure if the Westwoods are related to the Weasleys." More laughter, though Regan hadn't meant to be funny.

"So how did you come to work for Lucius?" Hermione asked. In a moment of weakness, Regan told them everything that had happened since her arrival at Malfoy Manor. Even her most embarrassing moments were suddenly made public, save for her lost child, and she couldn't ignore the pity that she saw on everybody's face. Surprisingly, the person with the most pity for her appeared to be Charlie Weasley. He wouldn't touch his food as she spoke; he could only stare at her.

"Astoria obviously didn't tell us everything that was going on." Narcissa said in a low voice.

"I don't tell Astoria everything." Regan said with a small shrug.

"You won't have to worry about him," Charlie said sternly. "I'll take care of him, myself."

"I don't need anybody to protect me or take care of me." Regan quickly replied. Charlie quirked an eyebrow.

"I wasn't asking for your permission." Regan narrowed her eyes.

"I can take care of myself."

"Oh yes, because you've been doing such a good job of it so far." He muttered, rolling his eyes. "You know, I can't believe that you're all so willing to shove her off into the lion's den. Who says that Lucius won't turn on her and kill her?" Narcissa slowly shook her head.

"Lucius is too enamored with her. If he didn't care about her, he wouldn't be spending all of this money on their wedding. Regan is extremely safe…as long as she does as she's told. Plus she has Draco and Astoria to protect her if anything should go wrong."

"She needs a guard." Charlie suddenly blurted out. "You saw the papers; a maid tried to kill her with poison."

"She wasn't thinking straight…" Regan muttered, gently closing her eyes.

"Regan is aware of the danger that she's facing." Ron said slowly. "But if you think that she's unprepared to defend herself, then prepare her." Both Regan and Charlie whipped their heads to look at Ron with curious expressions. "You heard me," Ron said before either of them could question him. "She's here for four days; prepare her to fight." Charlie stared at his brother for a long moment before snorting.

"Fine, I haven't got anything better to do."

Dinner continued calmly after that, and Regan managed to force herself to eat even though she wasn't really that hungry. The food was simple, but Regan could tell that somebody had put a lot of effort into it. She was just grateful for the free food because she got the impression that it wasn't always easy to feed this many people. After they were done, Narcissa escorted her away back to what appeared to be her room.

"You're so skinny," Narcissa muttered, offering her a small smirk. "But don't worry, Molly will get you nice and plump." They went to Narcissa's room and pulled out the couch, making up the bed for Regan. They prepared quietly for bed, neither really sure what to say to the other.

"You know…you'll have to forgive Charlie's attitude, he does mean well."

"Could have fooled me," Regan muttered.

"He's lost many loved ones, family, almost family, friends…we've all struggled." Regan wanted to ask Narcissa what she meant by 'almost family', but she just let it pass since she was so tired.

"I'll keep that in mind tomorrow." She said, pushing back her blankets and crawling inside. Narcissa nodded, bidding her goodnight before disappearing into her own room. Regan fell asleep almost instantly.

…

The next morning, Regan woke up oddly cold. Not physically, mind you, but she just felt oddly...empty. She didn't know how to explain it and even after lying in bed for so long, she still didn't understand. She heard Narcissa get up to start her day, but Regan couldn't bring herself to move. She didn't know what was wrong, but she decided that she wouldn't solve anything by just lying here. She finally pushed herself up, only to be greeted by Narcissa's smile.

"I was just about to wake you." She commented, handling Regan a cup of tea. She accepted it, taking a slow sip with closed eyes. "Did you sleep all right?" Regan shook her head.

"I kept dreaming that Lucius found me," she muttered. Narcissa needed no further explanation; she understood Regan's fear.

"Nobody suspects Canada, that's why we settled here." It was sound reasoning; Regan honestly doubted that Lucius would even think of Canada as a threat.

"They said that you orchestrated this whole thing…why?" Narcissa shrugged, sitting beside Regan.

"I needed to find some way for Draco and his family to escape." She explained. "Draco has always been a good son, but he often fell under the influence of his father…as soon as I can, I want to be with my family again, but for now I must wait." Narcissa was a good woman, Regan could see that. She momentarily wished that she could get to know the woman better, but there would be no time for that. "Charlie is waiting for you, probably time to get up."

Regan slowly nodded, finishing her tea before pushing back her heavy blankets. She did her best to ignore the fact that Narcissa hadn't really answered her question. No doubt she was hesitant to share her private thoughts and feelings with Regan; perhaps one day she would confide in her, but that was not going to happen today. Regan got ready quietly, putting on a black sweater, jeans, and her boots from Oskar. Narcissa forced a piece of toast in her hand before she rushed out the door, toast in her left hand and wand in her right. Regan found Charlie lounging in the large community room, appearing to be very annoyed. His outfit was similar to what he had worn yesterday, only his sweater was a turtle neck that hid most of his burns.

"Took you long enough," he muttered, pushing up from his seat with a small grunt.

"I wasn't feeling well," Regan explained as he walked towards her.

"Well, do you feel better now?" Regan could hear his concern, but he was still obviously very annoyed with the fact that he had been forced to wait.

"I'm fine," she quietly insisted, but Charlie cocked an eyebrow as if he didn't believe her. She rolled her eyes, looking away from him. "You can go back to bed for all I care, I don't need you to take care and train me like I'm a teenager."

"You were never properly taught so somebody has to teach you these things." Regan finally looked back at him.

"Well, if you don't want to do it, then you should just unload me on somebody else." Charlie snorted.

"Everybody was too busy to take care of you."

"Oh, so you're not important enough to be too busy?" That was a sharp shot below the belt and Regan half regretted it when she said it. Charlie stared at her with hard eyes, a comeback right on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to say something cruel that would make her cry, but he bit his tongue and held back his comment.

"Let's get this over with," he grumbled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. Regan was actually surprised that he hadn't said anything, but she noticed that his grip was too tight and his movements too stiff. No doubt about it; he was pissed off.

"So I'm assuming that your DADA education ended when you were fifteen?" He asked once they had reached an overly used clearing.

"I suppose you could say that," she muttered.

"So did they ever let you practice or were you just taught the theory?"

"I know the spells!" She defended. "I just need to practice." She was tempted to practice one of the three unforgiveable curses on him. He was being mean and he was openly teasing her, which Regan did not appreciate.

"I just want you to be able to defend yourself." He said as he slowly pulled out his wand. "Lucius might try to hurt you, so you've got to know how to hurt him back."

...

A/N: I'm posting this before nap time, so bear with me here...

RashaTemple: Lucius will be coming back soon, I promise.

Amon: Well then the story would be over far too quickly for my tastes, so it shall always be updated Friday...except on those few occasions when I forget, then I update on Saturday...or I just post two chapters the next Friday.

Dragoon Dave: Well...you'll see what happened to Charlie and the dragons later, I think in the next few chapters. I know, I'm so happy to be reunited with my lovely ginger lover!


	23. Sweat

Chapter Twenty Three: Sweat

They practice for hours, well past lunch time. In her head, Regan compared him to some evil drill sergeant that had a large stick lodged up his ass. He was firm in his process and wouldn't let up until he was sure that she had been properly trained. She was close to becoming convinced that he was being so tough because he simply didn't like her, and Regan didn't completely blame him. Sure, she had come on some goodwill trip sent by Draco and Astoria, but there was bad bloody between the Weasleys and Malfoys; how could they ever completely trust her?

When they went back inside, her temples were damp and her cheeks were flushed. Her body ached and she grabbed onto his arm when her sluggish foot tripped over a bump in the patted dirt ground. A few of Charlie's friends smirked, sexual jokes dancing around in their eyes, but they never verbalized them as Charlie and Regan passed them by silently. Surprisingly, he didn't pull his hand away until Regan regained her balance and pulled away on her own. The thought occurred to her that despite their excursions outside, his hand was warm...rough, but so very warm.

Molly, Charlie's extremely kind mother who had taken an instant liking to Regan despite her initial silence, had set a place for both of them off to the side with a warm lunch waiting for each. It was just soup, some indescribable broth mixed with whatever ingredients were available, but to Regan it smelled like heaven in a bowl.

"You kept her out there too long." Molly scolded her son as they sat down to eat, offering a small smile to Regan. "I apologize for my son; living out in the middle of the woods has changed him far too much."

"It needed to be done." Regan said quietly. "I'm just glad that he wasn't too busy to help me." Charlie quietly smirked to himself, their fight from earlier that morning replaying in his head. Regan also smiled as she slowly ate, causing Molly to glance between them curiously.

"Did I miss something?" She asked, but neither of them had a good answer, glancing across at each other before looking up at her hopelessly. Molly strode away, mumbling something about young people and their strange ways.

Out of the corner of her eye, Regan spotted what appeared to be a very skinny Ginny. Her face instantly softened. The girl was only a ghost of her former self that appeared dull and lifeless. Charlie also saw his sister and he instantly grimaced. He saw Regan staring, but she quickly looked away when Charlie became tense.

"Ginny didn't do so well after Harry…you know. She can't even bring herself to talk about him."

Regan remembered Ginny; she had been the first one to sink down next to Harry's lifeless body. Her weeping had been so violent and she had to have two of her brothers pry her away from the body.

It was quite possibly the most tragic thing that Regan had ever witnessed.

Charlie suddenly called out for her, motioning for her to come and sit. She did, even smiling a little when she sat beside him and his large arm wrapped around her for a gentle squeeze. They had bonded over the years, both siblings finding comfort with one another when everybody else seemed to be too busy for them.

"I'm Ginny," she said quietly. Regan nodded, briefly smiling.

"Regan."

"Oh I remember you; you're Lucius Malfoy's fiancée." There was a strange edge in her voice that made Regan feel uncomfortable and caused Charlie to glance at his little sister curiously. "How are the wedding plans going?"

"I wouldn't know; I'm not really involved." She muttered. "Astoria's been busy with it; I just have to show up." Ginny solemnly nodded, her eyes seeming to suddenly brim with tears.

"At least you get to have a wedding." She muttered pathetically. Charlie quickly embraced his sister again, but she just shook her head. "I'm so sorry, I promise that I'm not some emotional basket case, it's just…with everybody talking about your wedding, it's hard not to be upset."

"It's all right, I understand." Regan quietly said. And she did understand, to a certain degree. Although, Regan was sure that Ginny cared far more about Harry then she did for Oskar. Still, they shared a common bond and that seemed to bring some sort of comfort to Ginny.

"I heard about Oskar. It must have been so awful to come home and find him like that." Regan shook her head.

"I never saw the body…I only saw the blood." She answered. Regan had never told Astoria about the uncomfortable examination that Lucius had given her and she preferred to keep anyone from ever knowing that. She also hoped that Astoria hadn't said anything about the baby.

"Ginny, you look tired, why don't you go take a rest?" Charlie gently suggested. She slowly nodded, smiling one last time at Regan before she went back to her room. Charlie sighed once she had left, clearly bothered by his sister's condition. "I can't remember the last time that she was honestly happy." He muttered, gently pushing away his bowl. "Until this whole thing is over, she's just never going to get better."

"It's going to hurt for a very long time." Regan muttered after swallowing a large spoonful. "Losing somebody is never easy."

"Yeah, I know…excuse me." He abruptly stood up and disappeared to his room, leaving Regan alone. Ron, who had been watching from a corner, approached Regan and occupied his brother's abandoned seat.

"How are you doing?" He gently asked. Regan shrugged her shoulders. "Did you get a lot done with Charlie?"

"Yes, he was very helpful." And she wasn't just saying it because she didn't want to insult Ron's brother. She meant it.

"I'm glad, we've been looking for something to do for Charlie…he wouldn't tell you himself, but he hasn't been doing well since Angie died."

"Angie was his wife?" Regan asked.

"She was his girlfriend, but she was pregnant."

Ah, his almost family.

"They killed her a year after the final battle…we don't know what happened to the baby." Ron sighed, running a hand through his red hair. He looked so old and worn down; how had he managed to keep these people together for so long? "He was upset because he was defending the dragon camp in Romania and she was taken while he was gone. He hasn't really spoken about it, but I hope that working with you will help him open up about Angie. I'm glad that you're here…he needed somebody." Regan nodded, suddenly feeling sorry for pushing his buttons earlier that morning. "Just don't treat him any differently, he would hate that and probably figure out that I told you about Angie."

"May I have a pen and paper?" Regan suddenly asked. Ron gave her a curious look, but called over Neville to bring Regan what she wanted. She scribbled down a quick note before asking where Charlie's room was. Ron pointed down the hall, directing her to the ninth door on the left. Without another word, Regan strode away from the table in the direction that Ron had pointed. She didn't know what she was hoping to achieve by doing this, but she felt compelled to do something for Charlie despite Ron's warning. She ducked down and slipped the note under his door before she rushed back to her room, but she didn't get very far.

"What is this?" Regan stopped, letting out a little sigh.

"I see that you aren't able to recognize a note." She muttered, turning to face him with her hands on her hips. He had just gotten out of the shower, only wearing a pair of loose gray sweat pants. His body was lean, but built solidly with gently defined muscles. His massive burns were completely bear to her eyes, spreading across his chest and down his stomach to dip across his hip. His short red hair was still glistening, a pale yellow towel hanging around his neck and the note between his fingers.

"I thought you said you felt prepared."

"More practice wouldn't hurt." Regan insisted, crossing her arms. Charlie quirked an eyebrow.

"Do you really need my help with this?" He asked.

"Well…you said that you had nothing better to do." Charlie smiled, the first genuine smile that Regan had ever seen from him.

"Yeah…I suppose it would be all right." Regan firmly nodded.

"Good, then I will see you tomorrow morning." She turned away, not sure why she suddenly felt so embarrassed about their encounter. Her cheeks felt hot and she was suddenly mad at herself; what on earth was her problem?

Charlie quickly called out her name, running to take Regan's hand. She stared up at him with a furrowed brow, but was shocked when he bent down and hugged her tightly. It was brief, no more than three seconds, but as soon as their bodies touched it was like something exploded in Regan's chest. She felt the urge to push him away and nearly stumbled forward when Charlie pulled back, his hands shaking as he held onto her shoulders.

"I'm sorry…" He finally managed to speak, avoiding her eyes. Regan shook her head, silently excusing him, though she did secretly wish that he would explain himself. She stared up into his face and surprised them both when she reached out to hug him again. This hug was longer, but Regan once again felt her chest burst.

Great, more emotions and feelings that she didn't understand...

Because she totally had time to deal with this...

"Charlie, you know the rules."

The two abruptly parted and glanced over to see Narcissa slowly approaching them. Her face was unusually stern, free of the smile that Regan was so used to.

"No relationships until this is over." Charlie briskly nodded, squeezing Regan's hand before quietly disappearing into his room. That's when the smile returned to Narcissa's face. "How about some tea?" She happily offered. Regan nodded, making a mental note to ask Charlie about this tomorrow.

...

A/N: Ah summer...I hate it...anyways, hope that you enjoyed the chapter :)


	24. Streaking

Chapter Twenty Four: Streaking

"They don't want us having any children…they don't want us leaving burdens behind for others in case we die." Regan watched Charlie slowly pace back and forth in their clearing, nervously biting his lower lip. "No affection means no children."

"I understand," she told him quietly. "I mean, it makes sense..." Charlie stopped pacing, his eyes resting on her.

"I'm going to assume that Ron told you about Angie and the baby." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as if he were in pain. Regan didn't answer, but the fact that she didn't question him gave Charlie his answer. He sighed before continuing. "We're the reason why the rule exists…they don't want any more pregnant women dying or children left without parents." Regan suddenly noticed how tired he appeared, his shoulders sagging under some unseen weight.

He looked guilty.

"It's a fair rule," Regan muttered. "It seems a bit extreme, but we live in a troubling time where sometimes extreme measures are needed." He sat down before her, running a hand over his face as if to wipe away the anxiety that he felt.

It didn't work.

Charlie sat beside her, a heavy frown on his face.

"She was beautiful," he murmured. "She had long black hair and this cute little nose...and she would always scrunch it up when she didn't like something, but didn't want you to know it." He scoffed, shaking his head. "Best part was that she didn't take any of my bull shit; she always called me out."

"Sounds like we would get along." Regan muttered.

"You would...you two are actually really similar." He said. He bit his lower lip, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, she begged me to stay and not go to Romania. She didn't want me to go because she was so close to giving birth and it was dangerous, but...I had to go...didn't make much difference, they almost killed me on the first day. By the time that I made it back here...she was already gone...killed by some asshole who wanted to make a name for himself by killing a pregnant woman." He spit out, his eyes darkening as he gripped the edge of his seat.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, awkwardly squirming. Charlie shook his head.

"I should have never gone..." He whispered, guilt laced in his voice. "I should have stayed...for her..." Regan closed her eyes, pulling her knees to her chest.

"When I was hiding out with Oskar...I had never been so happy in my entire life." She admitted, and it was true. Being with him had afforded her a sense of freedom that she hadn't experienced since her pre-teen years. "I didn't get to see him die...he was just gone...and then Lucius-." Regan suddenly stopped, biting her lower lip. Charlie furrowed his brow, leaning closer to her.

"Then Lucius what?" He asked, but Regan shook her head. "Come on, you can tell me...it can't be that bad." Regan let out a shaky sigh, avoiding his curious gaze.

"He's sick, you know?" Her voice began to quiver despite her best efforts to control herself. "He taunted me...treated me like he had done nothing wrong...and then he wanted to check to make sure that I was a virgin." Charlie watched her closely, becoming concerned when he saw her hands begin to shake, and not from the cold. Tears were brimming in her eyes, quivering and threatening to fall.

"Lucius Malfoy is a monster..."

"I know," she muttered, sniffling. She so didn't want to cry in front of him, but God this was hard to keep in. "Just don't talk about him...don't ever talk about him." She said through a clenched jaw. "I don't want to talk about him or this stupid wedding or the fact that I have to sleep with him!" Hot tears streaked down her face, and Charlie instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Regan let out an angry sob, pushing against him, but he wouldn't let her up.

"I just want to help you." He said sadly.

"I don't see why." She muttered, her eyes burning from the tears. "All anybody wants to do is fuck me. I don't know why, but apparently that's all that I'm good for."

"I doubt that's what Oskar thought and that's not what I think…" Regan rolled her eyes, more tears falling.

"I don't understand why this keeps happening to me," she muttered as she slumped against the tree. "Why do people treat me like I'm so special?"

"Because somehow you've managed to survive without having your spirit broken." Charlie explained. "You have no idea how comforting and hopeful that is to see someone who just lives."

"But I am broken!" She screamed, finally escaping from his grasp and collapsing to the ground. She allowed herself to cry, really cry, for the first time in a very long time. "I miss my mum and my dad…and all I want to do is hide away somewhere and wait for this whole thing to be over!" She let out another tragic sob, tears freely streaking down her face and snot bubbling at her nose. She was a mess, but Charlie just quietly sat beside her, slowly rubbing her back. He gently wiped away her tears with some bunched up tissues that he had dug out from his pockets and embarrassingly made her blow her nose, making the sensitive skin glow red.

"Feel better?" Charlie quietly asked. Regan nodded, her eyes stinging and her head throbbing from the swell of tears. "It's okay to let yourself show emotions, people seem to like you more when you do." Regan gently sniffled, making Charlie smirk at the sad look on her face.

"It's just easier to hold it in." She quietly admitted. Charlie scooted closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"I'll make you a deal. If you open yourself up and act like a real human being…" Regan glared up at him, but he didn't give her any time to object. "I'll give you anything you want."

"Anything?" Regan asked, actually surprised when Charlie nodded.

"Yup, anything." He said with a bright smile. Regan mulled the offer over before nodding in agreement. "Excellent, so what do you want?"

"I want Lucius Malfoy to be killed on July 10th." She said, her voice even and serious. Charlie furrowed his brow together.

"Why that day?" He asked. Regan forced the most genuine smile on her face that she could muster.

"Because…that's my birthday…and that would be the best present that anybody could give me."

…

It was then that their plan was set.

Regan would have four months to get close to Lucius and to distract him from business, hopefully slowing his progress. At the same time, the DA would search North and South America, Africa, and Asia for any supporters they could find who were willing to fight. Then, they would all meet once again at Regan's birthday party, where every important death eater would be. It would be a one time, all out slaughter where they would take out every leader and take back control of the Ministry. It was simple, but a perfect way in…their only way in.

When they ate dinner that night, everybody's spirits seemed lighter and there seemed to be more smiling and laughing. Charlie sat beside Regan, keeping close and talking almost throughout the entire meal. Fighting against her natural instincts, Regan forced herself to talk to him. She was used to just keeping quiet, but she had to hold up her end of the bargain. Plus, she really liked spending time with Charlie. He reminded her of her father, and she found great comfort in that. The Weasley siblings also seemed to warm up to Regan. Ginny spoke with her with a bright smile on her face and Ron was being extremely nice. It seemed that by Regan staying there for a few days had convinced them all that she was not a threat and therefore they could trust her.

The next day, Regan and Charlie trained with each other again, but they were too distracted with each other to really practice anything. They talked and he even managed to convince her to build a small snowman, something that he hoped would make her feel a little better. Charlie's mood had become light and he had warmed up to her considerably. Her initial reaction was to push him away and remain a loner because it was in her safety zone, but she forced herself to remain close to him. She had to get used to being around men since she would soon be married to Lucius.

"If it makes you feel any better, he probably won't be able to do much to you...you know, since he's old...?" Charlie suddenly commented one afternoon with a small smirk. Regan rolled her eyes, ignoring Charlie's boisterous laughter.

"I don't want to discuss this." She muttered, tucking her wand up her sleeve.

"He has to be compensating for something, you know?" Regan just shook her head.

"You really know how to attract the ladies, don't you?" Charlie laughed again.

"You guessed it, I'm a real ladies man."

"Then you should have no trouble finding a lady after I leave." She feigned mock hurt and moved to get up, but Charlie quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"At the moment, I only want to be with one person…and I bet that you can't guess who that person is." Regan sighed, glancing back at Charlie's mischievous face.

"When did you become so playful?" She asked in a dull voice. Charlie chuckled.

"Since I figured out that it annoys you." Regan narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. Who was she to deny him something that would make him happy? "I'll be sad to see you go," he said after a while. "It's going to be strange not having you here."

"You'll get along just fine without me." She told him, her eyes tracing over the sinking sun in the distant horizon.

"You really don't have a very high opinion of yourself, do you?" He asked, watching her cheeks flush a bright red.

"I suppose that when all you've heard for the past ten years is that your life means nothing, it sort of starts to just sink in." She muttered, her mind flashing back to her time spent at the Ministry. She shuddered slightly, pushing away the memories and looking back to Charlie. "Sometimes, while my mind wanders, I think about how my life would have been different if Harry Potter had survived."

"We all do," Charlie admitted. "I would be married with a kid, maybe two." He said, his mind drifting to what could have been. "Did you ever have dreams?" He asked, leaning against her. Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"I was only fifteen when the war ended, I had no idea what I was good at or what I should do…I've been by myself since then, the only goal that I had was to just stay alive and not disappear." Charlie gently grasped her chin, pulling her face down and firmly kissing her. She sighed, quietly thankful when he pulled away and made the kiss brief.

"You should pick something that you want to do." Charlie encouraged. "I'm planning on continuing my work with dragons; there's got to be something that you want to do." Regan rolled her eyes, but couldn't deny that this wasn't such a bad idea. She had to do something if Lucius was killed and she would be damned if she spent the rest of her life as somebody's secretary. The thought made her physically sick, but what else was she supposed to do with her life?

"I was always really good at charms…and I guess I sometimes thought about becoming a teacher, but I really just want to find my parents…and I guess I would get married and have kids eventually, just to make them happy." Charlie smiled.

"I feel sorry for the bloke that's going to marry you." He muttered. Regan scoffed, an uncharacteristically cruel smile on her face.

"I feel sorry for Lucius too." Charlie laughed loudly, his cheeks flushing bright red.

"Milk him for all he's worth." Regan quirked an eyebrow.

"Do you think I could?" Charlie quickly nodded.

"Yeah, be sure to get everything that you want…and then we'll kill him." Charlie shrugged casually as Regan stood up and brushed the snow from her pants.

"That's a bit devious of you, don't you think?" She asked as Charlie followed after her and they went back to their snowy compound.

"No less devious than what Lucius has done to you and to thousands of others." He argued, quietly taking her hand as they walked inside. Regan didn't pull away, but she couldn't hide her embarrassment when people began to stare. There was no hiding Charlie's affections for Regan and they were clearly in violation of the rules that everyone had been forced to follow.

"Charlie." They both looked up to see Ron standing in a doorway looking extremely stern and upset. Without another word, he motioned for Charlie to come and talk to him. Charlie narrowed his eyes, letting go of Regan and stalking off. Regan watched as the brothers disappeared into the room and she could only imagine the argument that would soon follow. She felt guilty because she really, truly felt that this was all her fault. There were so many times when she knew that she should have said 'no'. If she had just said 'no', she wouldn't be in this situation.

"Don't worry, they're always fighting with each other." Regan turned to see Ginny standing there, offering her a small smile.

"It's because they're so much alike…and because Charlie doesn't really care for all of the rules."

"But he'll blame me all the same," Regan grumbled. Ginny giggled, a surprisingly pleasing sound for Regan.

"Charlie's always liked to tease…sometimes I think he only does it though to try and forget about Angie and the baby…hell, we all keep smiling just so that we can try and forget the pain."

There was a distant glimmer of regret and agony in her eyes and Regan didn't dare to push the issue. If anybody needed to start picking up the pieces of their life and start to move on, it was Ginny. Any mention of Harry would just send her in a tailspin and Regan was betting that she wouldn't eat for a week.

"You're really good for Charlie, though." Ginny finally commented. "We can all see that he's already starting to fall for you." Regan bit the insides of her cheeks, willing away the sudden joy that she felt.

"That's not good." She said, running a hand through her hair. Ginny quirked an eyebrow, genuinely confused by her answer.

"Why?"

"People that care about me usually end up dead…I can't have another person dead because of me."

...

A/N: Someone has a birthday next week...wonder who that could be...but I do know that they would like lots of reviews as a lovely gift...not that I'm hinting or anything...

Dragoon Dave: Summer can suck my you know whats...


	25. Spoon

Chapter Twenty Five: Spoon

Regan waited patiently, her arms crossed with Ginny at her side. She finally sat down, letting out a small huff of frustration. Charlie had been in there with Ron for what seemed like an eternity, but Regan knew that it had only been ten minutes.

"You look worried." Ginny quietly commented as she leaned against the same table that Regan was sitting at.

"I'm not," Regan said with a firm shake of her head. "Just...tired." Ginny slowly nodded, but both knew that she didn't believe her.

"It's just...you're frowning and you look like you're about to beat somebody." Regan sighed, shaking her head again.

"No...sadly, that's just how my face looks." Regan cracked a smile. She didn't mean to make a joke, but clearly Ginny thought that it was funny when she laughed. She slowly sat down next to her, keeping her eyes on the door and listening for any parts of the conversation to be heard through the thick pine.

After a moment, Ginny finally said "I'm sad to see you go." It caught Regan off guard honestly. After their last encounter, she just assumed that Ginny didn't want to know her, but perhaps she had been wrong.

"I'm sad to leave as well." She told her. "To be honest...I haven't felt this comfortable around so many people since I was a child." Ginny smiled slightly.

"That's wonderful, Ron will be so happy to hear that."

"I've been meaning to ask...how exactly did Ron come to be in charge?" She had been wondering for a while, actually. From all the stories that she had heard about Ron Weasley, he didn't exactly seem like the leader type. Then again, what did Regan know? She had been stuck behind stone walls all her life; her concept of leadership was associated with malice and cruelty...and Ron was none of those things.

"It's hard to explain," Ginny began. "But, things changed after Harry died...Ron changed. It was like one day he woke up and the light was gone from his eyes...like somebody had sucked the life from him."

Regan continued to stare at the rough pine door, pondering the man on the other side. She could sympathize with him, which made her feel oddly close to him.

"And Charlie is just a whole different story." Ginny muttered. "When Angie died, it really messed him up. He was so desperately in love with her." Ginny bit her lower lip, peering over at Regan. "I worry...I worry that he might be trying to replace Angie with you." Regan's eyes widened, her shoulders stiffening. "I mean, you two are so similar...you could almost pass as her sister."

The door suddenly swung open and the Weasley brothers appeared, both looking upset with whatever had been said between them. Charlie and Regan instantly locked eyes. While he looked relieved to see her, she kept her face and eyes cold. Was that all she was to him? A replacement? She wanted to scream at him; scratch at his face and prove that she was so much more than a dead girl.

Regan stalked away after a moment, thankful that he didn't follow after her. She wanted to be alone; she wanted so desperately to just be away from people forever. She should just take a sack of supplies and run away. They had her hair; they could make all the polyjuice potions that they wanted to continue on with their plan. She could hide somewhere far away where nobody would ever know her and where nobody would ever come close to her. Any affection that Charlie had for her would simply disappear and they would both be better off.

When she reached Narcissa's room, she was glad to see that the room was empty. She rested on the couch, letting out a heavy sigh as she just stared at the wall. Regan felt as if she might lose her mind and she almost wanted it to happen. She felt as if it might be best if she just forgot everything and let her mind slip away into nothingness. Oh how she wanted to forget, but when there was a knock on the door, she realized that she would never be able to forget any of this. Charlie walked in, shutting the door behind him.

"He's not thrilled about us, but he can't really do anything since you leave tomorrow." Regan continued to stare at the wall even when he sat down beside her. There was no 'us'; they weren't even remotely close to a couple. "Would you like to stay with me tonight?"

"Why?" The question sort of just tumbled out and she didn't mean for it to sound cruel or demanding, but her blunt attitude didn't seem to bother Charlie.

"I want you to…and this might be the last bit of time that we get to spend together totally alone." Regan quirked an eyebrow, finally looking his way.

Did he just want sex?

Is that why he wanted her to stay the night?

"Both of us are wearing pants and they're going to stay on the whole night." She said with a straight face. Charlie smirked, but quickly nodded in agreement. "And don't get any ideas about cuddling and kissing me just because I'm in your bed…don't want you getting the wrong idea." Charlie smirked, kissing her cheek despite the stern look on her face.

"All right, anything you say…now will you please get whatever you need for bed? I'm very tired and I would like to sleep very soon." Regan nodded, standing up and going to her suitcase to retrieve her pajamas and then to the bathroom to get her toothbrush. When she returned, she felt the color drain from her face. Charlie was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room with Narcissa in the doorway. Judging from her expression, she did not look pleased.

"Hello Regan," she said with forced pleasantry. "Are you going somewhere?"

"She's spending the night with me." Charlie answered for her.

"You know the rules." Narcissa insisted, pursing her lips together. Regan shifted uncomfortably, slowly coming to stand beside Charlie.

"We do, and we don't intend to break them." Regan assured her. Narcissa quirked an eyebrow.

"If you don't intend to break the rules, then you should stay here," Narcissa told her. "Ron won't stand for you running off and doing what you want just because you're his brother." She said, her comment aimed at Charlie.

"I have never asked for special treatment!" Charlie told her through a clenched jaw. "I have always pulled my weight around here and I deserve this!" Narcissa fiercely stared him down, her hands clenching into fists.

This would not end well…

"If Ron's going to get mad, then I'll make sure that he knows that you did everything in your power to stop us from leaving." Charlie quietly assured her as he fought to keep his cool. Narcissa stiffened under his stare, but finally relented and stepped aside to allow Charlie and Regan to pass. Charlie quickly grabbed Regan's arm and dragged her from the room without another word. Regan didn't dare to look because she didn't need to. She knew that Narcissa was watching them and she knew that she was positively enraged, though she couldn't really understand why. What Regan did was her own business and she could care less about what Narcissa told Ron. She wasn't too keen about spending the night with Charlie, but she defiantly went with him to defy what Narcissa and Ron wanted her to do.

When Regan stepped into Charlie's room, she took a long look around while remaining completely still. Unlike Narcissa's room, Charlie just had one large room with all his amenities in one large space, save for the bathroom that was shut away in a very small room. It sort of looked like a college dorm room expect for the small stove and the fridge that sat next to it. Charlie scrambled around to pick up food wrappers and a few pieces of clothing scattered around his room, glancing to Regan with a nervous smirk.

"Hadn't really expected company," he mumbled as he continued to quickly clean. He sighed when he deemed the room presentable, offering Regan an accomplished smile as she continued to stand in the doorway. He almost chuckled, but resisted when he saw how uncomfortable she looked. "You can change and brush your teeth in the bathroom, would you like some tea?" Regan quickly shook her head, disappearing into the bathroom and leaning against the door. She instantly began to question her choice of coming here, but she couldn't go back to Narcissa now; that would just be too embarrassing.

So, despite the fact that her mind was just nagging at her to stop and run away, Regan brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas. She slowly braided her hair, momentarily wondering what Charlie was doing out there. When she had deemed herself presentable in her shorts and snug tee shirt, she slowly opened the door and stepped out to see that Charlie was already in bed with the lamp on the bedside table providing the only light in the room. Thankfully, he was fully dressed as Regan sat down on the bed and allowed Charlie to pull the thick blankets over her legs and entrap her in the welcoming warmth.

"Does your mother make everything around here?" Regan asked, her hands going across the carefully made quilt that topped at least two more knitted blankets.

"That and she cooks every meal…she's very good at the domestic."

"So in other words she spoiled you for any woman?" Charlie chuckled, pulling her resistant body closer to his. She sighed, finally relaxing and letting Charlie pull her down against him and wrapping his arms around her. She only allowed it because she was actually rather cold.

"It's not like I'm going to expect you to cook and clean and knit…you can do whatever you want as far as I'm concerned." Regan quirked an eyebrow, holding back a snort.

"Who says that I'm going to be with you or marry you?" She asked, avoiding his gaze. The room became awkwardly quiet and Regan finally looked back over at him. She could see that he had made himself believe that he cared about her more than he probably did. He was delusional, but still…for some reason Regan didn't like to see him so upset. "But…I suppose it could be a possibility…maybe." That brought the light back into his eyes.

"Admit it: you like me." He teased, gently nudging her. Regan just rolled her eyes.

"Stop it…" She muttered. He continued to nudge her, eventually bringing a smile to her face.

"Say it, you don't absolutely hate me…and the idea of being with me doesn't totally disgust you." Regan sighed, sinking down into the bed and shutting her eyes. Charlie chuckled, reaching over to turn off the light to submerge them both in darkness. He pulled her close and Regan allowed him to spoon against her, surrounding her body in a Weasley cocoon. After a long moment of silence where both thought that the other had fallen asleep, Regan finally spoke.

"I don't want to go back to him." Regan told him as she peered out into the darkness.

"I don't want you to go back either." Charlie quickly told her. "I thought about suggesting that Luna just continue on pretending to be you, but I figured that Lucius would somehow figure it out…but at least it would keep you here…with me." Regan softly smiled, thankful that he probably couldn't see her in the darkness. "I just don't want you to risk your life and die."

"People have already died, one more death wouldn't make a difference." Charlie glared at the back of her neck, his grip around her tightening.

"Every life matters…don't make me pull out Dr. Seuss on you." Regan furrowed her brow together.

"What?"

"A person's a person, no matter how small." Regan just rolled her eyes.

"Oh my God…"

"I know, my brilliance is astonishing." She scoffed and giggled, bringing a smile to Charlie's face.

"Aren't you a little old to be quoting a children's book?" She asked as she felt her eyes beginning to grow heavy.

"Sometimes the simplest sayings tend to be the wisest." He told her quietly. Regan sighed, closing her eyes and pulling the blankets tightly around her.

"I'll keep that in mind," she muttered. Within minutes, Regan had drifted off to sleep, but Charlie remained wide awake. He stared into her thicket of wild red hair, his mind going a mile a minute. How could he ever let her go knowing what was going to happen to her? It was bothering him and he found it difficult to shut his eyes for more than five seconds.

Regan suddenly rolled onto her back in her sleep and let out a small snore, her mouth hanging open and her arms and legs splaying themselves across Charlie and almost the entire bed. He smirked, biting back the laugh that threatened to pop out. For somebody who was so controlled, it was interesting to see her let go and just completely relax. He re-positioned himself so that she could remain sprawled out while he could hold her and suddenly he felt very tired. Sleep came quickly and both were glad for the rest.

...

A/N: I'm so sleepy...meeeeeeeeeeeh...*falls into bed*

RashaTemple: I can't stand that Regan gets the hot ginger...because I want the hot ginger...

Dragoon Dave: We've had this conversation...and now you see my reasons and such above...words not working...must rest...blarg...


	26. Strangle

Chapter Twenty Six: Strangle

It was 4:27 in the morning when Charlie cracked his eyes open. He groaned slightly, shaking his head as he briefly wondered why his body would make him wake up so early. Honestly, his body could be such a douche bag sometimes. But in an instant, he was glad that he woke up so early. Despite her previous sprawled out position, Regan had some time in the night curled up and was nestled against his chest. He smiled softly, petting down her hair as he fought the urge to wake her up and kiss her senseless. Suddenly, red became black in his eyes and his hands instinctively went under her shirt and to her stomach, surprised to find that it was completely flat instead of stretched over the new life growing inside.

Charlie suddenly flinched, pulling back slightly. What the hell was he thinking? He had just met this girl a few days ago and already he was so attached to her...God, he was seriously demented. In an instant, it occurred to him that he found solace in Regan because she was so much like Angie. He shifted further away from her, inwardly scolding himself. He shouldn't be doing this; he shouldn't simply replace Angie with Regan. It would be unfair to both of them. No matter how much he wanted to cling to her and have her insult him and roll her eyes at his antics, he would just have to treat her like a friend...just a friend...

Hours later, Regan finally woke up with a loud yawn, squirming in her blankets as she took in her surroundings. She was not in her bed, but she didn't feel out of place in here. She heard a water running, as if someone were taking a shower. She blinked a few times, slowly sitting up with a heavy sigh. Her head was pounding, her temples swollen from the heavy air. The water suddenly shut off, making her perk up and wait, as if she expected somebody completely different to emerge from the room. She suddenly became nervous, half expecting Lucius to step out covered with blood. The image made her shudder and she felt relieved when Charlie walked out dressed, but his hair still glistening wet.

"Good morning," he greeted with a warm smile. "You slept for a while; thought I would have to shake you awake or something." Regan shook her head, self consciously brushing down her hair.

"Morning," she whispered. Charlie gently pushed back her hair before rustling it up with a small chuckle.

"Thank you for staying with me, I haven't been sleeping well and it usually helps to have someone beside me." He said, going into his small kitchen and putting on the kettle. Regan shrugged her shoulders, leaning back against the cool wall.

"They're going to be mad at us for sleeping together." Regan muttered.

"They don't have to know. And besides, we didn't do anything wrong."

It was true, but Regan was sure that Narcissa would report to Ron that she hadn't slept in her bed last night.

"But they'll find out and you'll get in serious trouble," Regan said in a mocking voice. Charlie laughed, pulling out two mugs and prepping them each with their own bag of tea.

"I suppose you're worth the trouble," he muttered as he waited for the water to boil. When the kettle began to sing, he promptly poured them each a cup and carefully handed a mug to Regan. She took it, still leaning against the wall as he cautiously sat down beside her and gently blew on the steaming liquid.

"I don't see why you would think that…I don't see why anybody would think that...I can't be so special that people would die for me."

One person she knew had died for her. She couldn't stand the thought of anybody else dying like Oskar had.

Charlie slowly drank his tea, his expression surprisingly calm as he simply sat and thought for a moment. Regan found the silence with him to be rather comforting; she liked it.

"You're very important to all of us…especially me." He said. "And...your hair looks very pretty this morning." He told her with a light chuckle, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Regan rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Oh yes, with a face like that, you'll have every man on his knees." He gently poked fun at her, happy to see her smile despite the fact that she tried to hide it.

"How can anybody be with me after I've been with him?" She bluntly asked, the smile quickly disappearing from her face. The question made him awkwardly rigid and his eyes grew dark. Clearly he hadn't given that any thought.

"I don't know." He told her honestly. "There's no way that you can get pregnant, right?" She quickly nodded, seeing him relax slightly.

"Thank God," Regan quickly said. "He makes me sick."

"If the man really loves you, it won't matter." He gently told her, taking her hand in his. She glanced down before looking back up into his calm eyes, an eyebrow cocked out of curiosity.

"All right, what the hell is wrong with you?" She asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?" He asked with a small laugh.

"You're being...nice." She said the word as if it were some foreign object in her mouth, making Charlie laugh louder. "It's weird..."

"Me being nice to you or anybody being nice to you?" He asked, finding it difficult to keep himself from chuckling at the put off expression on her face.

"Both."

"Well forgive me for weird-ing you out, but I'm a _nice_ guy and I tend to be nice around people that I _like_." He explained to her, chugging down the remainder of his tea and bringing his mug back to the small kitchen. He took Regan's mug, which was also empty. She handed it over with dazed eyes, her hand hanging in the air a moment after he had walked away.

"Thank you," she muttered as Charlie rinsed out the mugs and placed them upside down on a tea towel to let them dry.

"Doesn't take much effort to wash a mug," he said with the shrug of his shoulders.

"No, for-." Right before Regan could finish speaking, there was an urgent knock on his door that made them both grow pale.

"Regan has to leave in twenty minutes. She had better be ready when I come back for her." Regan bit her lower lip as Ron stomped away from the door. Charlie fumed, momentarily considering going after his brother and giving him a hard punch to the face.

"Don't get flustered," Regan told him when she saw the look in Charlie's eyes. Charlie sighed and just nodded. She watched his jaw flex and his muscles bunch, but he suddenly just went slack and just sighed, slumping to sit down next to her. He wrapped a long arm around her, practically enveloping her entire body.

"You don't have to go," he suggested halfheartedly. "You could just stay here and Luna could just keep pretending to be you."

"I would never subject anybody to what Lucius has planned for me." Regan wasn't really sure what that was, but she was sure that it involved devious sexual acts. "He's waited a long time to have me; I doubt that he's going to hold back." Charlie shuddered.

"Can we please not talk about this?" He asked, his voice gruff and unpleasant. Another knock sounded at the door, making Charlie narrow his eyes. "My brother has a death wish," he muttered, making Regan shake her head.

"Technically we're breaking the rules." She told him as Ron knocked again, this time much more urgently.

"We don't have a lot of time." Ron called through the door. Charlie glared for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and crossing to the door in two big strides. He yanked it open to find Ron standing on the other side with Hermione and Ginny. The women looked uncomfortable while Ron just glared at his brother, who fiercely returned the emotion.

"We wanted to see if you needed help packing." Hermione offered, knowing that there was no way that she could soothe the tense situation. Regan nodded, quickly setting down her cup.

"Yes, thank you."

Plus, having Hermione and Ginny there might keep Narcissa from scolding Regan for spending the night with Charlie. She squeezed past Ron and quickly scurried away, not offering Charlie another look. She would see him before she left and it was probably for the best that she didn't stay and get them into more trouble. She walked between Hermione and Ginny, comforted by the fact that they remained relatively close to her.

"Next time we see you, we'll all be back in London." Hermione said, trying to make conversation.

"Are you both excited to go home?" Regan asked, not really interested in hearing the answer. She really needed to work on her people skills if she was going to come off as believable when she returned to Lucius.

"Yes and no," Ginny muttered. "It will be nice to be home, but who knows how long we'll get to stay?"

"Does it really matter?" Hermione asked with a small smile. "Home is home...it'll just be good to be back."

...

A/N: So I might be moving out of state in a few months...just a heads up because there might be a possibility that I would maybe kind of sort of not post a chapter...or two...please forgive me...

Dragoon Dave: We've talked about all of this...need I say more?


	27. Sweater

Chapter Twenty Seven: Sweater

They walked in silence all the way back to Narcissa's room, where the elegant woman sat with her arms crossed, her finger irritably tapping on her arm. Sadly, Hermione and Ginny did not accomplish their intended purpose by diminishing Narcissa's irritation with Regan. Surprisingly, though, she didn't say a word. She simply got up to fetch Regan's clean clothes. Atop the pile that she had brought back was something that did not belong to Regan.

"What is this?" She asked as she picked up the garment and let it easily unfold in her hands.

"It's from Molly; a goodbye present." Narcissa told her with an even tone. It was a sweater almost identical to every other sweater that other people were wearing around the compound. Burgundy with a large yellow 'R' stitched on the front, Regan wasn't quite sure how to react. She couldn't remember the last gift that she had been given...why would they do something so nice for her? In a way, she supposed, this must be their way of telling her that she had been accepted into the group.

"Why did she make something for me?" Regan asked. Ginny gently smiled as they snapped her full suitcase shut.

"It's a present, she just wanted to…do you not normally get presents?" Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"Lucius sometimes gives me things, but it's all just for show…it's not like he cares."

"Believe me, if he didn't care you would have been dismissed months ago." Narcissa assured her. "And just be prepared…after a couple of months, he will bring in another woman into his life and they will have an affair." The room became uncomfortably silent as Regan let the information sink in.

"How long did it take before he brought somebody else in with you?" Regan asked. Narcissa sighed, taking a moment to think.

"It took a little while…probably two months after Draco had been born, when he realized that I had more important things to worry about then whether or not his dick was happy." Regan snorted, cracking a smirk. That only made Narcissa smile, pleased with the fact that she had gotten such a genuine response from Regan. "Come on, Astoria will be eager to see you." Narcissa said as she handed Regan her suitcase. Right before she took it, Regan quickly pulled on the sweater that Molly had made for her over her long sleeved shirt. It was too big for her, but it felt like she had been wrapped up in a warm hug. She smiled slightly before accepting her bag and following after the three women, each in much better spirits then they had been when they arrived.

When they entered into the main room, it seemed that almost everybody had come to say goodbye to Regan, something that she felt was rather overwhelming. On a table next to Ron sat her porkey that would take her back to Paris, a book about dragons. Everybody could appreciate the irony that it held.

"We're really glad that you could come," Ron told her before pulling her into a hug. Regan tried to return the favor, but found it awkward. She didn't hug; she wasn't a hugging person.

"I'll try to communicate through Astoria whenever I can." She answered. She was hugged and waved to by almost everybody there until she finally came to Charlie. Before he could even move, she had wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat gently pulsating against her ear and she closed her eyes. She hated to admit it, but he made her so absolutely calm, and it was really astounding and quite difficult for Regan to fully grasp. Quietly, she committed his beating heart and overwhelming scent to memory and swore to herself that whenever she was with Lucius, her mind would be on Charlie. They didn't kiss, both felt that it would make everybody feel awkward, but Charlie had a hard time letting her go.

"I'll write," she promised quietly before gently kissing his cheek. Charlie wordlessly nodded, giving her hand one final squeeze before he allowed himself to let go. Without being told, Regan picked up the book about dragons and she felt wind rush around her body. She shut her eyes, shivering slightly as she waited for it to be over. She didn't have to wait long and she opened her eyes to see that she was standing in the same Parisian hotel room that she had left only days earlier. Wrapped packages were strewn about the room; clearly Astoria went on an absolute shopping spree. It would give Lucius a good show when they got back.

"How was your week?" Astoria eagerly asked as she jumped up from the bed and tightly embraced Regan. "That's a charming sweater. My God Regan, look at you! You've got such a healthy glow in your cheeks! You must have had a good visit." Astoria pulled back with a smile on her face. The fact that she had greatly missed Regan was no lost on her.

"Did you have a good time with Luna?" Regan asked as she set down her suitcase. Astoria shrugged her shoulders.

"It was all right…we bought you a ton of stuff, I hope that you like it."

"It really doesn't matter, does it?" Regan asked as she set her suitcase down and flopped on the neatly made bed.

"I suppose not…do you look good in turquoise?" She asked. Regan furrowed her brow together, picking her head up slightly.

"I don't know…?"

"Well let's pretend that you do, we bought you a lot of it…and the shoes we bought, you're going to hate me, but I couldn't resist, especially since you have such tiny feet." Regan grimaced, letting her head plop back down on the thick comforter. "I'm sorry…I know that you're not really into fashion or anything frivolous like that…"

"I don't find it too frivolous…if it's something that you like, then I see nothing wrong with it." Astoria couldn't contain the smile on her face. Regan smirked at the joy radiating from her future daughter-in-law. Then she mentally shuddered at the thought, pushing it away.

"Should we get you dressed? They'll be delivering our porkey soon and then we'll be driven straight to the Manor." Regan nodded, sitting up and watching as Astoria fluttered around and picked out an outfit for her. She chose a navy blue jersey dress with long poet sleeves and a plunging V-neckline. She paired it with a pair of black heeled booties that had gold spikes on the heels. She then pulled Regan's hair into what she called a sock bun to show off the gold and turquoise earrings that delicately hung from Regan's ears. Finally, she gave Regan her giant engagement ring, which instantly made the young woman cringe. It was so heavy; she had forgotten how gaudy the damn thing was. She shrugged on the gray tweed coat that Astoria gave her, earning a nod of approval.

"You look like a fancy Parisian hipster." Astoria told her as if it were some kind of compliment. Regan could only nod, avoiding all mirrors as she helped Astoria gather up the packages and send them back home. Once the room had been cleared of all the luggage, Astoria brought out the porkey that had been delivered while Regan had been getting dressed. It was another goblet, but this time it was tall with large shimmering emeralds. Astoria went first and left Regan in the room alone. She stood there for a moment, silently wondering how long she could stay here before she was missed. She decided that she only had a few seconds so she straightened her jacket out before she picked up the second porkey. The wind rushed around her and she was once again in the dim room lit only by the pale green lights. Astoria was waiting for her with Mr. Wickersham and it was like Regan had never left.

"Welcome back, Ms. Westwood. Did you enjoy your stay in Paris?" Wickersham asked with a greasy smile. Regan quickly nodded, stepping past him with Astoria at her side. They walked through the Ministry, flanked by their bodyguards and receiving an almost identical reaction as they had days earlier. People stopped and stared, making Regan just want to shrink away. She had forgotten what it was like to be a normal person.

It only made her miss Canada.

They walked outside and were glad to see that there was a car already waiting for them. As soon as they climbed inside the car, Astoria rolled up the partition to make sure that they had privacy.

"Lucius hasn't written at all, but Draco says that he's been very busy with work." Regan slowly nodded, staring down at her bare knees with her lips tightly pursed together.

"I'll take care of that." Regan said, letting out a heavy sigh and mentally convincing herself that this was for the greater good.

"He's going to take a lot of convincing…I'm sorry that it's you that has to do this." Regan quickly shook her head.

"I wouldn't want anybody else to do this…if anybody's going to suffer, I'll volunteer." Astoria leaned back in her seat, tightly gripping her sleek handbag.

"This would be easier if I hated you," she said with a wistful smile.

"But it is pleasant to hear that you don't hate me." Regan told her with a small shrug. Astoria smirked.

"Narcissa told you what he likes?"

"Walks alone, hand holding, and he likes to…dominate." Astoria quickly nodded.

"In every aspect, so the more submissive you are the better." Astoria told her as they rounded the corner nad the Manor came into view. "He has to believe you; you can't let him think for a second that this is an act."

"I understand," Regan quickly told her. "I want this to work just as much as everybody else does." She mentally prepped herself as they pulled into the driveway and they saw Draco holding Scorpio with Lucius patiently waiting for them. She felt positively sick to her stomach, but there was no way that she could back out now. She was totally committed and would continue to resist against Lucius until the day she died, even if that day was tomorrow.

When the car stopped, Astoria quickly emerged and happily scooped up Scorpio up in her arms, gently kissing his forehead as the small boy cooed with enthusiasm. Lucius opened the car door for Regan, leaning over slightly to catch a good glimpse at the young woman.

"Welcome back," he said in a low tone. Regan leaned forward slightly, her bright hair catching in the dull light.

"Good to be back." She muttered, meeting his piercing gaze. "May I speak with you in private?" She asked, delicately raising an eyebrow. Lucius seemed a little surprised by her request, but he nodded and helped her from the car. Without a word, they went around the side of the house and began slowly making their way through the tall hedge maze and only stopped when they came to a secluded spot almost devoid of all noise.

"All of the plans have been completed and all of the guests have accepted the invitations…does this make you happy?" He asked almost hesitantly. Regan nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it." Regan stopped, shrinking down slightly. She averted her gaze and thought of lying next to Charlie to make her blush. "Lucius…I wanted to apologize for how I've been behaving. Astoria and I spoke at lengths and I finally realized just how much you care about me...and how much I care about you. I'm sorry that I didn't see it sooner and I'm sorry about how I've treated you. I was wrong and I shouldn't have been so foolish."

When Regan looked back up to meet his gaze, all she saw was pure shock written boldly across his face. But Regan was thankful for the strange look that she got; it meant that he believed her.

"Do you really mean it?" He asked, unable to hide the surprise from his voice. Regan nodded, reaching out to grasp his hand.

"I do mean it…I can't wait to be your wife."

Lucius couldn't contain himself. This was what he had wanted to hear since he had first laid eyes on Regan and the fact that it was finally happening was nothing short of amazing. He pulled her close and aggressively kissed her, nearly losing his mind when she leaned into him and tightly grasped his robes in her small, pale hands. Internally, Regan was squirming and itching to just push him away. She forced herself to think of Charlie, but it did little to improve her current situation.

"There's a lot that I need to take care of before the wedding," Lucius told her when he finally pulled away. "I've decided to take you to Vienna for the honeymoon, what do you think? I've got business that I need to attend to, and then I can spend my evenings with you. What do you think?" Regan bit her lower lip, shyly glancing away. "This displeases you?" Regan innocently shrugged her shoulders.

"I thought that the point of a honeymoon was to spend all of our time together…alone…what's the point if you're going to be working every day?" Regan hated the way that she sounded, but she was pleased to see that this was proving to be easier than she had originally anticipated.

"Oh my dear, I can assure you that you will have plenty of time to have me to yourself." He purred with a small smirk. "But I cannot neglect all the work that I have. My attentions are needed in Austria to ensure that the takeover in North America goes smoothly. Darling, you know that I cannot neglect my duties." Regan pouted, inwardly hating herself for her fake reaction.

"But we hardly know each other…I was really hoping to spend some time with you _outside_ of the bedroom." Lucius sighed, taking the situation into consideration. Regan had finally fallen into his grasp; he couldn't let her slip away so quickly.

"Well…I suppose we could go somewhere closer and spend the whole time together…would you prefer that?" Regan quickly nodded, plastering a bright smile onto her face.

"That would be wonderful!" She exclaimed, standing up on her tiptoes and pressing a firm kiss to his cheek. Lucius grabbed her chin, forcing a kiss against her lips and making her blush slightly.

"Don't worry, I'll make all of the arrangements. You just take care of yourself and I will see you on the wedding day." Regan nodded, getting one final kiss from Lucius before he strode away back towards the house. Regan sighed as soon as he was out of sight, rolling her eyes and slowly making her way back to the front entrance of the Manor. She saw that Draco and Astoria were still in the front entrance, offering her a welcoming smile as the servants carried their packages upstairs to be put away.

"I should get an award," Regan muttered. Draco actually chuckled as they all walked up the stairs towards the large family room.

"I'll buy you a giant trophy when this is over."

...

A/N: So I randomly started a short story this week...not sure how that's gonna turn out, but I'm really enjoying it so far and if you'd like, I'll keep you posted :)

Queer King Stephen: Good to see you again! And I'm glad that you're enjoying this story :)

Dragoon Dave: You're so needy...


	28. Signal

Chapter Twenty Eight: Signal

Regan hated weddings.

This had been decided when women arrived four days before the wedding to prep Regan. They primped her skin, waxed and plucked every excess hair from her body and, and put large extensions in her hair. They buffed her nails and painted them a blush pink, gluing small jewels on the tips. It was an attribute that Regan greatly detested, fighting the urge to pick them off and fling them away. Two days before the wedding, she was fitted for her dress and got her first chance to catch a glimpse of it. As soon as she put it on, she was glad that Astoria had incredible taste.

The dress was a modified mermaid that fit her body like a glove. It was beautifully embroidered with wide open chrysanthemums and a train that fanned out whenever she walked. The bodice was shaped against her body and showed off the gentle curve of her breast in a deep sweetheart neck. The veil was long and plain and almost completely covered her dress. It made her look like some ethereal ghost.

"I know that you don't want to hear it, you look stunning." Astoria said from behind her as they stared at Regan in the mirror. Regan sighed, gently tilting her head to the side and ran her hands across the intricate lace.

"Maybe they'll pay so much attention to my dress that they won't notice how miserable I look."

A maid stepped into the room, carrying a tray with tea and the morning paper. She set it down only to be quickly dismissed by Astoria so that she and Regan could continue with their private conversation.

"You just have to keep smiling." Astoria insisted as she poured the tea and fixed Regan a cup while she shimmied out of her dress and tossed aside her veil. Astoria picked up the paper, her eyes suddenly widening. "Oh no…"

"What?" Regan asked as she quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and some fancy shirt that Astoria had bought in Paris. Silently, Astoria handed the paper to Regan with a grim frown.

On the front page in large bold letters, Natalie's execution was proclaimed for the entire magical world. The picture, rewinding and playing over and over again, was Natalie's body dropping from the gallows with a sack over her head. Regan shuddered, thrusting the paper back to Astoria and walking away.

"Why did he do that to her?" She finally asked, her stomach churning. She would never be able to get that image out of her head. For a moment, Natalie was silent, her eyes skimming across the crumbled paper.

"_Due to the severity of the convicted's crime, Minister Malfoy recommended that her punishment be just as severe. Though it is not typically used, this conviction was deemed worthy of execution by hanging by the neck_...my God..." Astoria couldn't look at the paper any longer; the picture was far too disgusting. She glanced over at Regan, who looked positively ill. "Are you all right?" She quietly asked. Regan shook her head, leaning against the wall and slowly sliding down to the floor.

"I don't know why, but for some reason I thought that he wouldn't do it." Astoria frowned, slowly walking to where Regan sat and crouching down next to her.

"Lucius has an image to maintain, if he hadn't done it people would have seen him as weak." Astoria explained, gently touching Regan's knee. Regan looked up at her, letting out a shaky sigh.

"…Natalie didn't do anything wrong…"

"Regan, she tried to poison you." Astoria reminded her. Regan just shook her head.

"If Lucius hadn't started something with her, she wouldn't have been driven to do something." Astoria grimaced, setting down the newspaper and clutching her teacup.

"She's gone; what's done is done." Regan sighed, slowly shutting her eyes.

"I wish that we had sent her away…she would have gotten better if somebody had just helped her." Astoria quirked an eyebrow.

"There was nothing that you could have done." Astoria insisted. "Natalie would have been dismissed or killed; once you get involved with Lucius, life typically doesn't improve." Regan rolled her eyes, deciding not to push the issue. Natalie was dead and there was absolutely nothing that she could do now. She would just have to deal with one more loss in her life; this almost seemed like a drop in a bucket.

A knock sounded against the door, making the two women instantly tense. It was Lucius and he asked if she was decent enough for him to enter. Regan grimaced, but answered him with an eager voice. Astoria quickly gathered Regan's wedding dress and hung it before Lucius was admitted to the room. He instantly went to Regan and embraced her, his lips seeking out hers. She inwardly gagged, but allowed herself to be held.

"Everything for our honeymoon has been arranged, does this make you happy?" She stared up at him, the urge to punch him in the face almost overwhelming. Thankfully, though, Regan held it together and gave her approval.

"I confess, I've never been on such a big trip...I hope that we'll have time to explore the sights." She said, which caused Lucius to present her with a devilish smirk.

"Then I have something to confess as well." He leaned down so that his lips were close to her ear. "You will not be seeing much of anything because I will be keeping you far too busy to even get out of bed."

The way that she prettily blushed made a shudder go down Lucius's spine and for a moment he wished that the wedding was today. Then he could drag her off to bed and finally have what he had been lusting for far too long.

"Lucius, please, not while I'm standing here." Astoria joked, thankfully making him step away. Lucius chuckled, reaching into his pocket to pull out a wide square box.

"There was something I wanted to ask you." He said as he presented her the box. "This belonged to my mother, an ancient family heirloom that's just been gathering dust. I would like it very much if you wore it at the wedding." She opened the lid, actually surprised by how lovely it was. It was a double strand of aging pearls with a silver clasp and a swirling silver broach filled with diamonds. Lucius removed it from the box and fastened it around her right wrist. "Narcissa wouldn't wear this when we got married, she said that it was too old fashioned for her tastes. Maybe…this could be a tradition with our children?"

When possible children entered into the discussion, Regan inwardly gagged.

"I can't accept this," she said as she tried to remove the bracelet. "You should just keep it for now; I might lose it or something."

"What are you talking about?" Lucius asked, laughing as she continued to try and take the bracelet off. "You won't lose it. You shouldn't even worry about something so silly." He stilled her hands, smiling at her. "I want you to wear it because I know how much my mother would have adored you, and she would have forced you to wear it whether you wanted to or not...and even if you lose it, I can buy you another to replace it." Regan awkwardly smiled, figuring that it was best to just accept the gift and wear it.

What did it really matter?

"You're going to be the loveliest bride in all of England." Astoria happily proclaimed in order to change the conversation. "The papers won't be able to stop talking about this wedding for the next year. Every bride is going to want to copy everything you do." The praise that came from Astoria was almost overwhelming, but Regan could only smile and nod.

"Well, I should go and finish my work so that I can devote my time to you completely." He fiercely kissed her one last time before he left the room and gave the women their much desired privacy. As soon as he was gone, Regan began to pull and pick at the bracelet.

"Here, let me do it." Astoria offered, easily unclasping the bracelet and putting it back into the box. "Just think, in two days you'll never have to talk about weddings ever again."

"Yes, and then I'll have to lie back and - ."

"Best not finish that thought, ducky. You'll make us both vomit." Regan scoffed, but smiled slightly.

"I just hope that I don't vomit during." Astoria giggled, slowly shaking her head.

"If all else fails, just close your eyes and think of England."

…

The next day, Regan kept herself completely cut off from all other people in the Manor. She hardly even spoke to any of the servants as they checked in on her and brought her food. She mostly just sat at her window and stared out at the gardens, watching tents being set up and the gardens being groomed to perfection. It was beautiful and it was surely the fantasy of every single woman in the country. Too bad Regan was totally uninterested in all the flowers and the dress and the pictures and the publicity.

She was looking forward to the cake because she knew that it would be delicious. Cake had always been good to her; cake had never tried to molest her. And there would be lots of free alcohol, so that was good. She would just eat a ton of cake and get horribly drunk and pass out. Of course, that probably wouldn't detour Lucius from trying to touch her.

That thought just made Regan sick and she decided that she couldn't watch them set up anymore.

Regan went to bed early, but she quickly found that falling asleep would prove to be difficult. She was anxious and was actually starting to panic. This wedding was going to be televised across the entire country and other witches and wizards would be tuning in to see Lucius Malfoy wed a nobody. Charlie would watch every excruciating moment and would just have to sit and not do anything about this.

She tossed and turned for hours until around two in the morning she finally fell asleep and spent the night submerged in fitful dreams. She was awoken at half past eight by Astoria, who had large rollers in her shiny hair.

"It's time to wake up," Astoria told her brightly. She leaned forward as maids and dressers rushed into the room. "I have something for you…from Charlie." Regan was instantly awake, popping up from her bed.

"How?" She asked in a low whisper.

"Get out of bed and I'll tell you…and after you eat, I'll give you the note."

Regan did exactly as she was told, allowing the prep team to prepare her for the wedding. Her hair was put into rollers and her makeup was carefully done until she looked like some movie star. Her hair was then braided and arranged into a low bun. She was squeezed into her dress, her veil pinned to her head before she was finally left alone with Astoria, who looked lovely in her forest green bridesmaid dress. From the front of her dress, she pulled out a small note and handed it to Regan.

"Draco snuck this in late last night with a delivery of champagne." She told her quietly. Regan ripped open the note, her eyes scanning the page.

_Regan,_

_I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry._

_Charlie_

Regan pursed her lips together, refolding the note and handing it back to Astoria.

"He cares far too much." She muttered, but Astoria couldn't bring herself to smile.

"Do you like him?" Astoria asked, causing the air in the room to suddenly become very awkward.

"His affections for me far surpass what little affections I have for him." She answered honestly. "But I suppose that I enjoy his company and he is very kind to me." Astoria nodded, fighting the urge to bring up Oskar. "Believe me, I have no interest in being with anybody right now…this plot is far more important to me than anybody else. No matter what, I'm going to make sure that it succeeds…even if it ends up hurting someone." Astoria nodded, pushing the thought from her mind and handing Regan her large bouquet of pristine white peonies. Regan stood perfectly still as her veil was draped around her, her heart pounding as her eyes adjusted to her unique, tulle impaired vision. She felt like she had just been placed in a pretty cage, and the key was dangling around Lucius Malfoy's neck.

Regan walked silently behind Astoria, passing by servants who curtsied and whispered their congratulations to their new mistress of the household. She felt ridiculous and the feeling increased when she saw Draco peering out the window at the dozens of camera crews waiting for them outside. Regan couldn't hide her disgust as Draco turned and gave her a brief once over.

"You look very nice," he said. The compliment was appreciated and meant to make her feel better about the situation.

"So do you," Regan answered. "How many people are out there?"

"Too many," Draco muttered. "But it can't be helped; this is the biggest story since my parents divorced." Regan watched Draco closely, noticing how stiff and awkward he was. She thought for a moment that maybe he didn't want to be here any more than she did.

"We should get started." Astoria said, glancing out the window to see that every guest had taken their seat and was patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. Lucius was happily chatting with his associates, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his young bride.

Before any of them could really react, music began to play to signal the start of the ceremony. Lucius quickly took his spot at the later with the officient behind him. Astoria walked out first, photographers snapping pictures and cameras following her closely. She had the perfect smile on her face for all the world to see and gently nodded to Lucius before taking her spot to the side. Scorpio then came waddling down the aisle, acting as a crowd pleasing ring bear. Regan clung to Draco, nervously biting her lower lip as she anxiously waited for the door to open. Draco remained calm, holding Regan's hand in the crook of his arm.

"The perfume that you're wearing is very nice," Draco commented. Regan broke down and smiled, feeling tears begin to prick at her eyes.

"Thank you, a very dear friend gave it to me…a friend that is very concerned about my life." Draco nodded, keeping a straight face.

"I'm sure that he's not the only one." He muttered. Regan shrugged her shoulders.

"Well…I'm glad that he's there." Draco gently squeezed her hand, only making the tears come faster. "I can't believe that this is really happening." She said, shifting uncomfortably and trying to keep herself from running away.

"You have no idea how much we will revere you for this…you will never be forgotten for this sacrifice."

"That doesn't matter to me," she insisted, shaking her head. "If I must be honest, I'm doing this for very selfish reasons...I want to find my parents and I want to get my life back to some sort of normalcy."

"If that's the case, then you're dealing with a lot of selfish people." Draco said evenly. "We all want normal…and if that means that my father has to die for that to happen, then that's what needs to happen." He finally looked down at her, offering her a soft smile. "When my father is dead, I guarantee you that I will personally find your parents." Regan smiled despite her tears and finally saw the kind man that Astoria had chosen to remain married to despite the fact that there was no love between them.

"Thank you," she whispered as she gently sniffled.

And then, the doors opened, and there was no going back.

...

A/N: I probably shouldn't had edited this while watching Family Guy, but it happened...next chapter is a doozy; got lots of editing to do before I'm going to be happy with it, so brace yourself.

Dragoon Dave: Yay I like getting reviews from you :)


	29. Shaking

Chapter Twenty Nine: Shaking

Thousands of miles away, the last members of the resistance were crowded around a small TV and quietly watched Lucius and Regan's wedding. It had been an all day affair with various "experts" talking about what the dress might look like and analyzing every element of the ceremony. And then came the processional and the presentation of Regan, looking every bit the bride that she was supposed to be.

All the while, Charlie was continuously pacing in and out of the room, his eyes watching the TV closely. When he saw Regan, though, he remained completely still and watched her closely. Everybody was silent, nervous about the marriage going forward as planned.

"She's doing well," Hermione finally commented as the couple exchanged vows.

"The tears are a nice touch." Ron muttered, running a hand across his face.

"There's nothin' joyful about those tears," George commented with a focused eye. Charlie ground his teeth, his hands clenching into fists. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ron spotted his brother looking on edge and ready to hurt somebody.

"Charlie, if you can't watch then go outside." He insisted, making everybody turn from the TV to look at Charlie as he fumed in the doorway. He thought about arguing with his brother, but he knew that he was overly upset about this whole thing. So, he left and went outside to try and cool down. Everybody returned their attention to the TV, watching the rings being exchanged and Lucius eagerly kiss his new wife. They cringed, but were impressed when Regan smiled and acted as if she were indeed happy.

"Is he going to be all right?" Hermione quietly asked when she was sure that Charlie was out of the room.

"He'll be fine, he's just overly emotional." He muttered.

"He's way too attached to that girl," Percy muttered. "You know what happens when people become emotional. People make mistakes and people die."

"Percy! Don't say such things about your brother!" Molly exclaimed. "So what if he's interested in this girl? I see nothing wrong with him being upset about her marrying Malfoy."

"Well nobody's really pleased about the situation, but you have to do what you have to do sometimes." Ron muttered.

"You leave your brother alone," Molly fiercely told her son Percy. "And I don't want to hear another word about this out of anybody." She stormed away from the TV, disappearing into her room.

All the while, Narcissa sat in the back of the room and watched with intense fascination. She was impressed by Regan's capability to stand beside Lucius and instantly take on the role of a devoted wife. She suddenly noticed that people had begun to disperse to their rooms to prepare for bed. The broadcast of the wedding ended and the normal broadcast resumed, though all they could talk about was the wedding that they had just seen. Ron leaned back, glancing back to see that Narcissa was the only one that remained in the room.

"You all right?" He asked and Narcissa nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.

"The poor girl…she played her role well, though, don't you think?" Ron nodded.

"Yes, now we must wait for a few months for Regan's birthday." He smirked to himself. "It's strange that we've been hiding for so long, planning for this moment and now we have nothing to do but wait…feels a bit odd, don't it?" Narcissa nodded, slowly rising up from her seat and walking towards Ron.

"Regan will do exactly as she's supposed to and when we arrive at that party, we're going to destroy them all…and then the hard work begins." She patted his shoulder before she excused herself to her room. Ron sighed, watching the news broadcast roll and report on the latest stories of the day.

The hard work hadn't even begun…but Ron was more than ready for the challenge and was ready to reconstruct the Ministry and bring back the world that he had known. And if he couldn't accomplish his dream, then he would be happy to die trying.

…

The wedding ceremony had been brief, but the reception had dragged on and on until Regan was sure that she would lose her mind. Toasts were made in their honor and she had to sit through an eight course dinner. She hardly had any appetite, making the dinner unbearable. And it didn't help that Lucius kept putting his hand on her knee and whispering horribly sexual things in her ear. She wanted to shove him away, but she had to sit there and endure his lecherous remarks. They danced together, his fingers brushing against her skin and touches lingering. He kept kissing her and Regan had to just let him do what he wanted. She felt overwhelmed and became sick when the crowd cheered for her to be taken away to prepare for the wedding night...

She walked with Astoria and held her hand tightly, unable to contain her shaking. There was nothing that Astoria could say that would make her feel more at ease. Regan was trying to prepare herself mentally for everything that was about to happen. She thought about Oskar for a moment, but that only depressed her and made her feel worse. So she focused on Charlie and his sweet smile and his strong hands and his soft, fierce kiss. She tried to picture his face; tried to see him when she closed her eyes, but she couldn't see him. All she saw was Lucius...and all she felt was sadness...

Astoria helped her get out of her dress and helped her remove her jewelry. They didn't speak as her hair was let down and she changed into a white lace sleeping gown. It seemed more like an evening gown and she couldn't imagine being able to sleep in this thing, but she figured that she wouldn't be sleeping in this anyway since Lucius would probably strip her down the moment he saw her.

Astoria was quick and by the time Lucius knocked on the door, she was ready to leave. She quickly opened the door to see an eager Lucius on the other side. He stepped in without being invited and bid his daughter-in-law goodnight before shutting the door in her face. Regan inwardly shuddered as he walked towards her and firmly placed his hands on her pale shoulders. She forced herself to look at him and found his eyes gleaming darkly.

He terrified her...

"So lovely," he whispered as he bent down and lightly kissed her cheek. Regan blushed as his lips remained pressed against her skin. He pulled back and pulled her to her feet, spreading her arms to get a good look at her. "I couldn't stop thinking about this all day..." He said darkly, his gaze lingering across her curves. He suddenly yanked her against his body, making her stumble and lean heavily against his chest. She could smell the whisky on his breath, wincing when he reached down and groped her ass.

"Can I have a moment?" She hesitantly asked before he could do anything else. Lucius was caught off guard as she slipped into the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it. She let out a small whimper, hearing Lucius stride across the room.

She couldn't do this...oh God, what the hell had she been thinking? Her hands were trembling and her teeth were chattering as her insides churned. She glanced around the large bathroom, _their_ bathroom, and spotted the bottle of perfume that Draco had given to her. Trying not to spill any, she dragged the glass across her wrists and her her neck, frowning when the sweet scent wafted into her nose.

"Darling, are you all right?" Lucius asked as he tapped on the door. Regan jumped, nearly dropping the bottle. Her heart raced at the thought of breaking the glass and losing the precious contents.

"Fine," she quickly responded. "Just...just freshening up." Regan mentally cursed at how weak she sounded.

"Don't take too long...I don't like to be kept waiting." There was a hard edge in his voice that made Regan shudder. She mustered up whatever courage she had left, forcing herself to picture Charlie before straightening out and opening the door. As soon as she walked out, though, she stumbled back when she ran right into Lucius's bare chest. She blushed brightly when it became all too real.

Lucius was standing in front of her naked...and clearly, very excited...

"Feeling all right?" He asked, his voice low and his dark eyes sparkling. Regan hesitated, fighting the urge to turn around and disappear into the bathroom. But she hesitantly smiled, feeling the little food that she had eaten fight to escape.

"I'm fine." She said, leaning against the door frame. Lucius suddenly grabbed her shoulders, forcing her onto her knees and chuckling as he swatted her cheek.

"Open wide, dear." He muttered, grasping the back of her head and guiding her towards the head of his red, swollen dick. She turned her head slightly as if to avoid it, but there was no way that Lucius was letting her get out of this. He was suddenly inside her mouth and Regan wanted to vomit. He pushed his way to the back of her throat, making her stomach and thighs quiver. He started to thrust, letting his head fall back and a groan slither from his throat. Regan gagged with each thrust, tears rushing to her eyes. She couldn't do this...she couldn't breathe!

Lucius suddenly pulled back and Regan instantly fell onto her hands, coughing and sputtering as she inhaled deeply. He pulled her up by her arm, leading her to the bed before kissing her firmly. She was too sick to notice his fingers traced across her shoulders and slip the straps of her nightgown off. The silk pooled at her feet, a shiver traveling across her exposed skin. He forced her down on the bed, his fingers brushing against her stomach and the underside of her breast. He just kept staring...and when Regan tried to cover herself, he instantly swatted her hands away before bending down and taking a soft nipple into his mouth. He licked and sucked it until it was hard before biting down on it, making Regan cry out and push at his chest. He grabbed her wrists and held them above her head, chuckling when she whimpered.

He parted her legs with his knee and her eyes bulged in their sockets. There was no way that she was ready for..._that_. With a grunt, he thrust into her, their hips slapping against one another as Regan let out a strangled cry. She shut her eyes tightly, turning her face from his. This wasn't was it was like with Oskar...this hurt so much. She felt like he was cutting her in half; God when would it end?

Lucius didn't hold back. Even when she cried out, he kept going. His thrusts became fevered, as if she might slip away and he wanted to get as much use out of her as possible. Regan desperately tried to think of Charlie...think of Charlie think of Charlie...but Charlie would never do this to her. No, this was Lucius on top of her. Lucius was the one raping her...

And then, with a loud groan, it was finally over. Regan trembled, feeling Lucius grab her chin and messily kiss her as his thrusts began to slow. Oh God he had cum inside of her...she could feel the heat pooling in her stomach. He collapsed onto the bed, pulling her back against his chest and holding her close. He kept telling her that she was such a good fuck, but she just wanted him to stop...please God, make him stop...

When he fell asleep, Regan slipped from his embrace and rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. His cum started to drip from inside her and trail down her thigh, making her gag. Regan fell over the toilet, emptying her stomach with a loud wretch. Tears poured down her face as the blood rushed to her face with every gag. When she had finally finished, she slid down onto the floor, silent tears streaking down her cheeks. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out, but she couldn't keep herself from sobbing. How many more times would she have to do that? God, this was torture. How could she ever do this with him again?

Regan gathered herself from off the floor, cleaning herself off before stumbling back to the bedroom. If Lucius didn't find her in bed the next morning, he would grow suspicious...and she couldn't allow that to happen. Despite her best instincts, she forced herself to get back into their bed. She curled up on the very edge of the bed, pulling up the heavy comforter and wrapping it tightly around her body. She fell into a fitful sleep filled with empty dreams and hopes of waking up alone...hoping that this had all just been a horrible nightmare...

...

A/N: Did not enjoy writing this chapter...I hope that it turned out okay...

GhostWriter84: I'm really glad that you're enjoying the story. And I appreciate any reviews that I get, so thank you :)

jk: Thank you!

Dragoon Dave: Draco has and always will be one of my favorite characters...and we'll see more from him later. And thank you again for your help. Seriously, would not have finished this without your help. I owe you a BIG favor.


	30. Spiders

Chapter Thirty: Spiders

Sadly, this was not a nightmare...this was far worse...

Regan awoke the next morning with her head pounding and her stomach hollow. Pale sunlight was streaming through the windows, lighting the whole room and making her squint. She was still plastered to the edge of the bed and thankfully Lucius had not crawled over to join her. He was still lightly snoring, giving Regan a moment to herself. He lower body was throbbing; she felt almost numb. She could barely bring herself to move, so she remained still out of pain...and the fear of waking Lucius.

Said man, who had snorted himself awake, stretched out his limbs to pull Regan against his chest and spoon her. Regan thought about feigning sleep, but he saw her glance down at her face and smirk.

"Why so far away, darling?" He murmured against her ear as he made himself comfortable against her body. Regan fidgeted, pushing away the thought that he was still naked. It was bothering her, as if a million spiders were crawling underneath her skin.

"I must have just settled this way," she innocently told him. "When I fell asleep I was right next to you." She could literally feel him smirking and it made her stomach churn.

"I hope that you're not too sore."

Oh God…

"Just a little," she answered sheepishly, knowing that's what he wanted to hear. He kissed her ear before gently biting down on the lobe.

"Would you like to join me for a shower?" He asked, pressing against her as if to state that there would be little bathing involved. Regan pushed herself up, yawning and glancing back at him.

"You want to again? You just had me last night." Lucius chuckled, his hands smoothing across the skin of her thigh.

"I want to have you as often as I can…and this actually brings up something that I've been meaning to discuss with you. Would you be opposed to getting pregnant soon?"

Regan almost gagged at the suggestion. Of course she would never actually want to have his child, and the perfume would ensure that would never happen, but she couldn't let him know that. So she just smiled and told him that nothing would make her happier than to get pregnant as soon as possible. That was apparently the wrong thing to say because the next thing she knew, Regan was on her back with her legs forcefully spread. He was faster than he had been last night and when he had finished, he kissed her before excusing himself to go and shower. Regan grimaced, hoping to have time to clean herself, but that would look suspicious to Lucius and she refused to join him in the shower. Using the tissues at her bedside, she did what she could before leaving to find Astoria. It didn't take her long; she was downstairs in the family room with Scorpio gently napping in her lap.

"Good morning," Astoria greeted as Regan took a seat next to her on the plush couch. "How do you feel?" She asked over the low volume of the TV.

"Strange…it's difficult to grasp the fact that I'm married."

"I know what you mean," Astoria said. "I felt the same way after my first night with Draco, but we were married under different circumstances…would you like me to ring for breakfast?" Regan nodded despite the fact that she actually wasn't hungry.

Maybe some food would perk up her mood.

The chef must have been thinking the same thing Regan decided when the food arrived. She was presented with a stack of chocolate chip banana pancakes with a freshly opened jar of peanut butter. She ate on the couch beside Astoria, lazily smearing the breakfast treat with the smooth peanut butter and eating it like a taco. She was glad for the quiet, but grimaced when a story about her wedding was splayed across the screen. She felt so disconnected from the whole thing, completely shocked that she had managed to play her part so perfectly. She watched intently, eating as news casters gushed about the dress and the flowers as if this was actual news. Her morning was going just find until Lucius decided to ruin it.

"So this is where you ran off to." He said as he breezed into the room, dressed as casually as he could probably muster with black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a fitted black vest. He leaned down and aggressively kissed her, which caused Astoria to instantly look away. "You taste so sweet," he muttered after tasting the chocolate on her lips. "Having a good breakfast?" He asked, eyeing the two remaining pancakes on her plate. She nodded with a wide smile, making Lucius chuckle. "Good, now sorry to say, but I just have a few move things to finish up before we leave tomorrow, so I'll see you at dinner, all right?" Regan nodded, thankful that she would be rid of him for the whole day.

But then, an alarming thought struck her. Lucius was extremely close to claiming the Swedish government peacefully, which was obvious since the Swedish Ambassador had attended their wedding. Her only purpose was to keep Lucius from doing his job by whatever means necessary.

"Lucius, please wait." Regan called out, inwardly cringing at what she was about to suggest. "Why can't we leave today? I mean, whatever you're working on can't be more important than spending time with me, can it?" She innocently asked, quirking her head to the side. Astoria raised an eyebrow when she saw that Lucius was actually in turmoil over his answer. She was impressed by Regan's surprising acting skills.

"But…it won't take me but a few hours, and then we can leave early tomorrow morning." Regan instantly pouted.

"I was so looking forward to spending time with you." She said, sadly sliding down on the couch and turning back towards the TV. Lucius was panicked, fearing that he might be losing the favor of his new wife.

"Of course I can put it off." He quickly said, though Regan knew that he couldn't afford to. "We'll leave after lunch; I'll have our things packed right away." He strode out of the room, calling for the first servant he saw and giving them a long string of orders. Regan sank back down into the couch, smiling to herself as she stuffed her final pancake into her mouth.

"Very nice," Astoria commented. "He's never been that nice to anybody that I can remember, at least in front of another person."

"Apparently I have a gift for making men do whatever I want." She said, crossing her legs and sighing when real news came back onto the screen.

"Use that power to your advantage." Astoria said, giving her a huge smile, but it hid something much darker and an emotion that she would rather not acknowledge. Regan leaned back, her eyes focused on the TV.

"Believe me, I plan to."

…

Their honeymoon was awful, just as Regan had expected it to be. Every waking moment was spent with Lucius, who clearly enjoyed every second of it. He kept getting her naked, fucking her at the most inappropriate of times. There were moments when Regan was sure that she would simply break, but she seemed to just cave in on herself and draw further away from the world. She heard nothing from Draco or Astoria for a month, so obviously she heard nothing from Charlie or the others. She would have given anything for an encouraging note from anybody, but there was nothing…all she had was Lucius.

Speaking of the man, he was growing quite concerned. Lucius was not stupid; he saw that something was wrong with his young wife. While she would smile and submit to him whenever he wanted, he noticed that she always closed her eyes whenever they were intimate. She would turn her head away or bury her face in a pillow. He also had difficulties encouraging her to be...excited. He was always the one to instigate; she never touched him unless he touched her first. This pattern continued after they had returned from their honeymoon; he began to panic whenever he sat down at his desk every morning and watch her wander away to some isolated part of the manor.

Was she already starting to lose interest in him?

Was his lifestyle not enough to satisfy her?

At first he was angry at her for acting so aloof, but then he drew back his anger and began to reconsider the situation. As her husband, Lucius needed to keep his new wife happy. So, he needed to put in some effort and perhaps his work would need to suffer in order for him to build a strong relationship with his wife. And the more time they spent together, the sooner that she would become pregnant.

Speaking of which…

"I don't understand it," Lucius muttered as he stared at the back of his wife's head. He was reclining in their large bed while she sat at her vanity, mindlessly brushing her hair. "We've been together every night and you still have yet to conceive." Regan sighed, gently setting down her brush and tossing back her red mane of hair.

"I'm so sorry dear," she answered innocently. "I'm not sure what more I could do." Lucius gently smiled, motioning for her to come to bed. She did as he wanted her to, watching her soft body settle beside him and climb under the comforter.

"I'm sure that it's nothing to worry about, but just to be safe I'll have you examined by my personal physician." Regan furrowed her brow as Lucius leaned close to her.

"A doctor?" She asked before he could kiss her. "Why?"

"Well I just want to make sure that you're healthy and if you're not well, then we can treat you properly." He explained to her sweetly. He then kissed her, his hands moving down her side to reach back and palm her ass. She whimpered and Lucius pulled back, staring down at her curiously. "Is something troubling you, my dear?" Regan sighed, resting back against her soft pillow.

"Lucius…I don't really like the idea of another man touching me." She told him, staring up at him with innocent eyes. Her argument appealed to him instantly and Regan was quietly thankful. She didn't want a doctor examining her because she was afraid that he would somehow discover her secret perfume. She needed Lucius to believe that the just hadn't been able to get pregnant yet. This just had to go on for another three months; then the cavalry would arrive and things would finally end. She was eager for the end to come, mostly because then she could stop sleeping with Lucius. It had become a bother lately because Lucius had begun insisting on facing her during sex.

Just like now, when he climbed on top of her, she knew that she had little choice. He liked kissing her and touching her, all the while trying to encourage her to enjoy it. But the position and situation reminded her too much of Oskar, so she had to close her eyes despite Lucius's plea to look at him. She knew that it wouldn't matter whether or not she did; he would finish either way. And he did, giving her one final kiss before he rolled over and fell asleep. When Regan was sure that he was out, she went straight to the bathroom to clean the mess between her thighs. She didn't dare to look down, cleaning away all traces of Lucius. She hated the smell of sex; it made her gag. Regan wasn't sure that she would ever be able to have normal human contact after this, but as long as Lucius died she was fine with it.

...

A/N: So I'm making a big move to L.A. some time in the next few weeks :) I'm super stoked, but very nervous. If you live in the area, shoot me a message; help me figure out the crazy city.

Ripley: I assure you, I didn't really enjoy writing it...

FP: Thank you for reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and I hope that you keep reading.

Dragoon Dave: Thank you! I only aim to please ;)


End file.
